Unforseen Circumstances
by Aryiaa Bloodream
Summary: Adventures are all fun and games until you're a part of one. When she said that she wanted a little excitement in her life, this wasn't exactly what she meant. OC, slight AU, M for language.
1. Disturbed Normality

Howdy to all. So, I've enjoyed the Lord of the Rings films immensely and I enjoyed the Hobbit when it was released but it all kind of crept up on me. I wasn't too infatuated with it until I watched it again after a while and BAM! Instant obsession. It was all kind of weird.

So anyways, to commemorate the release of The Battle of the Five Armies I'm uploading the first chapter of my fan fiction. Hopefully I'll be able to keep on top of my updates (especially since I've already written out quite a few) and I'm proud to say that I've already beaten all of my previous fan fictions! Woo, pat on the back. Regardless I've really enjoyed writing what I have so far and if I keep this up I might actually be able to finish it. High hopes but there you go.

Slightly important: As the story progresses there will be some AU elements but it's nothing that will change what happens in the original plot. Just a few ideas that I've worked in to try and help my character fit in.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from J.R.R Tolkien's works but I do own all my original characters that you will see.

Anyways, hope you enjoy!

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><p>Alex sighed as she stomped up the small stone steps to her cottage, flicking away her finished cigarette butt in a random direction. Her day had persisted with making her mood worse and worse as time had passed which was just typical. She shifted the strap of her guitar case on her shoulder as she fished for her house keys from her pocket. Huffing in frustration after minutes of searching she finally whooped in triumph, unlocking the front door. After closing and locking the door behind her Alex kicked off her boots to the side and sat her guitar next to the door frame, extracting her bag of earnings before moving to her bedroom. The sound of coins jingling echoed through the empty house after her, improving her mood substantially.<p>

Throwing the bag of coins, and herself, onto the bed Alex groaned in relief. She'd been stood on her feet all day so the small lay down on her bed was bliss. She enjoyed busking and normally would only complain about how tight people were with their money but today she'd woken up late and thrown on the only pair of shoes she could find. She wished she'd just taken her time now as when she'd finally arrived at her usual spot, it had already been taken. Bastard had been eyeing that spot since she started playing there, the useless little vulture.

That was an occupational hazard with busking unfortunately. If you weren't vigilant then chances were good that you would turn up every day to find somebody already in your spot. Thankfully she'd been able to fight off the other competitors most of the time, today was clearly just a bad day. Fortunately she always had a backup spot on the high-street for such occasions and her playlist made up for her lack of earnings. The thing was, she knew what everyone usually played: the usual bouncy, happy shit everyone hears every day. That's why her calmer, more 'depressing' songs drew a few more people than normal.

Forcing herself to sit up on her bed Alex tipped the bag of coins onto the duvet. She rubbed her face in exasperation as the majority of the coins staring back at her were coppers, the odd pound coin and fifty or twenty pence peeking through the mass of brown. The generosity of the public absolutely astounded her… to think that they thought she could eat for a week on one and two pence's simply flabbergasted her. She'd like to see them try to live the way she did, even if it wasn't necessary due to the large amount of money in her bank account. No longer did she have to suffer learning how to do a job she'd hate for the rest of her life, now she could do as she pleased as long as she was sensible. Heck, her biggest spend had been her little abode.

Collecting the coins and returning them to their plastic bag the young woman grudgingly dragged herself to the bathroom. She'd have to hurry if she was going to make it to her 'pick-up' point, a cave a few miles away from her cottage, in time for Emily, her best friend, to take her back to hers. She just couldn't wait for the night to begin. It wasn't often she got to spend a night being purely social and silly. There was just far too much to do these days.

Going through her routine Alex thought back to when she'd first found the cave. She'd just bought the cottage and had been exploring the land around it when she'd slipped and tumbled down the hill she was climbing. After she'd finished cursing she'd looked up and found herself right in front of it. It wasn't a cave as such, just a low, concave hole in the side of the hill. Afterwards she'd texted her friends about it and they'd had many a camp-out there. It also turned out to be closer to the road than her little cottage so when Alex arranged to see her friends they always picked her up from there.

A lot of the time the cave was also where Alex went to practice her songs for busking. She knew there was a bit more privacy in her home but she liked the way the notes from the guitar bounced off the low walls; the only place in her home she could imitate it was in her bathroom and she wasn't going to sit there for hours. Perfect ambience simply could not be imitated and so she suffered the walk more often. It was more than worth it.

Rubbing her dripping hair with a towel Alex wiped the condensation from the mirror. Her Blue eyes stared back at her. Leaning closer to the mirror to see the small green flecks near her pupil the young woman grabbed the nearby hairbrush. Brushing the tangles out of her long, brown hair Alex finally smiled, splitting the length in half and tying the top half back into a simple braid. A shower always worked to relax her and she knew she was getting closer and closer to sitting down in front of a huge television, eating a greasy takeaway, and watching her favourite set of films with her best friend.

Dressing back into her clothes, a royal blue bandeau top with grey skinny jeans, the brunette moved back into her bedroom to begin packing for the night. She mentally checked off the items she threw into her backpack haphazardly. Making sure to pack her baggy sweat pants she smiled in triumph. Most of the clothes she'd packed were for comfort but most of her clothes now were 'comfort' clothes anyways, baggy due to the amount of weight she'd lost since she'd moved into the cottage a couple of years ago. She would have bought more clothes that fit but that meant she actually had to walk around looking at the different rails in each store. She was far too lazy for that. She could only just bring herself to get dinner while working in the city centre.

Looking at the only clock in the house, that was attached to the wall above her bedroom door, Alex grinned. She had a little bit of time to relax before she had to start hiking to her little cave, perfect for practicing a couple of songs. Dragging her overnight bag into the lounge and dumping it on one of the few chairs she owned Alex retrieved her guitar and started plucking at the strings, grinning at the posters on the opposite wall as she leaned against the open-planned kitchen counter.

Ever since she'd been to the cinema to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug she'd instantly fallen in love with the song I See Fire. She thought that Ed Sheeran had caught the devastation of the dragon attack on both the people and the kingdom superbly. She was even ashamed to admit that the few times she'd played the song in her bedroom when feeling down had caused her to shed a few tears. Not many songs affected her in such a way. And so whenever she had a chance to practice she always started with that song, due to it being her favourite and it was great for warming up.

It was simply her guilty pleasure to play the song both on her ipod and on her guitar whenever she had the chance. If she had neighbours she was sure they would have begged her to play another song by now. Her second guilty pleasure however, was to play the song in front of the three posters she currently had blue tacked to her lounge wall. It felt fitting to be singing of the desolation to the images of the three sons of Durin.

Normally she wouldn't have bought such poster, despite her desire to, but thankfully Emily had done the deed for her as a birthday present last month. She'd never been so happy to have turned twenty three as she did the day she unwrapped the posters. Alex had been even more grateful to be friends with Emily that day, even since the day they bonded over a drinking session at the local pub with a few pints and a long discussion over The Lord of the Rings. That girl simply knew her too well; she was like a clone of her sometimes.

Checking her mobile for the time Alex grinned at the notifications stating she had twelve missed calls, all from her best that was a sign that she was overexcited to start and eager for the film marathon to begin, although twelve was an abnormal number. She noticed that she also had an equal amount of voice mail messages and groaned in frustration. Emily knew she couldn't listen to her messages and she had to send a text message if it was urgent. Such was the joy of a pay-as-you-go phone that was never topped up. Plus an internet connection usually solved her restrictions on replying to social correspondence.

Leaving her phone on the kitchen counter Alex collected her overnight bag and zipped her guitar back into its case, slinging it onto her shoulder over her backpack. Retrieving her mobile she then typed out a quick email to Emily, grateful she at least had Wi-Fi, as she left her cottage and locked the front door behind her. She succeeded in marching down the steps without tripping this time, which was a nice change especially since she was distracted.

**En route to cave. Super excited for the marathon!  
>See you soon! X<strong>

Pressing the send button and slipping her mobile into its usual pocket she shifted her guitar more firmly onto her back and began the slow trek to the cave. She truly loved her little cottage and its location. For six miles in any direction there was just woodland. If you ignored the small country road a couple of miles away that was mainly used by the dying bus service. Regardless of that small blip in the beauty, it was made up with the groups of wildflowers that grew in small patches all throughout the woodland. All her friends had commented on it when they made the time to camp out at the cave. All of it seemed like a little slice of heaven just for her.

The hour and half it took Alex to walk those couple of miles to the cave passed by in a blur. Absorbing the scenery usually helped her with that. Unfortunately, now that she'd reached the cave and got settled while she waited she could feel how clammy her feet were. She nearly face palmed at the realisation that she'd put back on the boots she'd been stood around in all day. Not wanting to make the trip back to her cottage she resigned herself to her fate of sweaty feet and unzipped her guitar from its case, absentmindedly stroking her fingers across the strings. Now all she had to do was wait for the message saying her friend was waiting and she would walk to the road. Playing a few songs would help with the wait.

As the sun began its slow descent Alex became concerned. Checking her phone she found that an hour had passed and her friend had yet to let her know that she'd set off. Trying to shrug off her worries she fished out her pouch of tobacco and filters from her bag, rolling herself a liberally sized cigarette. Using her trusty lighter she lit the cigarette and took a deep drag, leaning back as the nicotine worked its magic. She knew this cigarette would probably be her last today, especially since she'd told everyone she knew that she was trying to quit.

Determining she only had a couple of drags left of her smoke Alex readied herself to flick it into the surrounding area when loud quacking interrupted the silence. Recognising it as her ring tone she fumbled with her mobile in her haste she checked the caller ID, grinning widely as she accepted the call. "Hey! What took you so long?"

"Alex! Listen, stay at home! Don't go anywhere!" Alex frowned at Emily's frantic tone of voice. Not once in their five year friendship had she ever heard her sound so worried. Taking the last drag on her cigarette she exhaled the smoke from her nose and flicked the tab end towards the woods.

"Woah, just calm down okay? What's going on? I'm already at the cave." She had to hold the phone away from her ear at this point, still hearing her friend screaming at her even from the small distance. She continued to hold the phone away from her pounding eardrum until the screeching became a bit more manageable.

"Look, Alex please. Just head straight back home as soon as you can! Promi-" A long, flat tone interrupted whatever Alex was going to be told next. Pulling her mobile away from her ear again she stared at the screen in confusion. 'Call Ended' stared back at her in bold letters before the phone locked itself. She was sure she wasn't touching the screen with any of her fingers so she couldn't possibly have accidently ended the call. All of a sudden the silence around her seemed stifling. Except now that she listened carefully, it wasn't as silent as she had thought.

In the distance, she couldn't determine just how far, there was a low humming sound. It reminded her of a plane engine but that couldn't be right. There were no airports around for at least twenty miles. Gripping the neck of her guitar Alex stood to try and take a look at the offending object disturbing the peace. She knew it'd be futile, especially since the sound had come from the direction of the setting sun and it was blinding her, but she had to try. Unfortunately it was just as she suspected, the sun blinded her sight and prevented her from seeing anything a few metres in front of her. Just her luck.

Nervously Alex sat back down and started to roll another cigarette. She was beginning to become scared and it showed in the sloppiness of her roll-up and the way she was taking larger drags than usual. In the back of her mind she casually kept an ear open for the persistent humming noise and was disappointed when it didn't disappear. Was it to do with Emily practically begging her to go back home? If it was she knew she should have left the area a good while back but she was unsure to if this was some form of elaborate prank. It wouldn't have been the first time; most of her friends were bad jokers. So she decided that she would wait for half an hour before making her way back to her cottage. If there was no car horn beeping in that time to tell her she'd been well and truly tricked, then she would panic and hole up under her bed.

Unfortunately Alex didn't see it to the thirtieth minute. Before she could finish her fourth chain smoked cigarette she was deafened by what could only be described as a roaring explosion. In shock and fright she jumped up and tried to locate the source, a slight ringing bouncing through her ears. She grabbed her guitar out of instinct but was unbalanced by its weight when an overwhelming gust of wind blew straight at her and sent her flying to the back of the cave.

Alex had barely a few seconds to see the dust cloud swiftly heading towards her as the dirt and rocks above the cave began to tumble down, blocking all the light from her eyes. As the entrance to the small entrance closed up the ground beneath her shook from the force. Fortunately she didn't have the chance to panic over the cave-in as she slipped into unconsciousness, the small amount of blood soaking into her hair being the only indication she hadn't escaped the gust unscathed.

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><p>Alex groaned as she slowly came to, coughing violently after her sharp intake of breath. She blearily opened her eyes to find her vision blurred, the time streams of light making its way through the small gaps in the wall ahead of her further obscuring her sight. Groggily sitting up she found her arms shaking. She felt abnormally weak, like she'd been on one of her more adventurous nights out and was recovering from hours of dancing, a hangover and smoking a hundred cigarettes. Her wheezing breaths cemented her final thought.<p>

After an indeterminate amount of time she tried to stand, only to find her legs being weighed down. Reaching forward blindly her fingers found dirt, but as they explored more a quick note filled the air. Relieved to realise it was her guitar she quickly brushed away the dirt and small stones covering it and pulled the guitar up straight. The instrument had plenty of room to be stood up since she was only just able to stand at her full height of 5'8. At least she was, before whatever had happened had caved her in.

Reaching upward the brunette's hand met the ceiling, her arm only just starting to straighten up. Reaching around her she found the confines of her space barely big enough for her to curl up in. Having a much needed stretch would be out of the question. Taking stock of the situation she focused her attention on the pinprick sources of light shining through the wall in front of her, laying her guitar on the ground next to her where possible. Surely the wall wouldn't be that thick.

Dirt once again met her hands but as her hands roamed she found that the stones keeping the wall together were much larger than those that had sat on her guitar. Curiously Alex tried to see through where the tiny shafts of light were penetrating the dirt and stone wall but to no success, the light merely blinded her and left her unable to see even more. What felt like hours passed in a similar fashion until she had to take a break, her arms and legs shaking from exhaustion from staying in the same hunched position. This worried her greatly and caused her to fidget as she waited for her strength to return. She'd never felt so weak in her life, even after that bad case of flu she had last year.

She couldn't say how long she sat there; exploring the small, dark space she was in with her hands. She noticed however that it was slowly becoming harder to breathe. This realisation caused her to panic and begin tearing at the wall in front of her, clawing away at the dirt in clumps. The stones caused her more trouble; digging away the dirt around them and feeling the roughness of the stone rub her fingertips raw. She refused to give up though; she would not die in a place like this!

She had briefly managed to dig a bigger hole in the foot deep wall at one point, pulling one of the larger stones free before more dirt had fallen and filled in all her hard work. At that point she had screamed and attacked the wall in frustration before having to sit back and regain her breath from the dwindling air supply. Taking a wheezy deep breath Alex slowly began picking away at the wall again, this time starting at the top. As her efforts continued at a calmer pace she felt her fingertips become more and more sore until she lost feeling in them altogether. She had long ago lost her nicely shaped, long nails.

She couldn't say how long she was picking at the wall for. Her only concept of time was the space between each of her wheezy breaths, each becoming more laborious. Her breaks became shorter and shorter, her limbs more exhausted but she was eventually greeted with success. It was only small but it was enough for her to throw herself against the wall in relief, her burning lungs drinking in the fresh air that they so desperately craved. The tightness in her chest increased for a brief moment before finally easing.

The hole she had made was only the size of her fist but it was enough for the fresh air to slowly start filling the confined space and a steady stream of light now penetrated the gloom. She pulled her face from the hole after a few minutes, her lungs already burning significantly less despite the persistent wheeze to each inhale. As her eyes became more adjusted to the light she took stock of her condition.

Most shocking to her was the dirt and dust that coated her entire body. She prided herself on her cleanliness and always made an effort with her appearance. She also found that she had managed to smear faint traces of blood on herself, the source being the pads of her fingertips which she'd split open in her efforts. Her clothes also caught her eye or what was left of them anyways. Whatever it was that had happened before she'd passed out had left her clothes in tatters. Her jeans had survived better than her bandeau, which was now barely covering the essentials, while the skinny jeans now resembled a badly made pair of DIY shorts with one leg barely hanging on. Thankfully her leather boots didn't seem to be any worse for wear, same for her guitar which seemed to have some dirt on it but didn't look damaged.

Feeling invigorated by her small victory with the wall the brunette slowly started picking away at it again. Now that more light was coming into the collapsed cave she could see that it was around midday, or so she assumed. Roughly an hour, or so she guessed, passed before she had expanded the hole enough for a small child to be able to squeeze through. Thankfully she'd lost enough weight that if she made the hole slightly bigger she'd be able to squeeze through herself. Motivated she began to work again, praying that she'd be able to properly rest and tend to her bleeding fingers soon. Heck, some dinner wouldn't be turned down either.

Shifting back she carefully examined the bigger hole she'd made. She reckoned she could now squeeze through and make her way to freedom but there was something else that had priority. Manoeuvring her guitar so she could start pushing it through Alex carefully saw the instrument to safety. Her guitar was the last birthday present she'd received from her parents so there was no way in hell she was leaving it behind. She could barely hear the thunk of her guitar falling to the ground but started to squeeze through the gap. Her battered fingers grasped the outside edge to pull herself through.

Blinding sunlight caused her to pause in her wiggling crawl as she pushed her shoulders out of her prison. Despite being blinded by the light though she drank in huge gulps of the fresh air, finally being able to breathe without being hindered. She put it down to the stale air of the cave but she swore that she could almost taste the purity of the air. Feeling energised she continued to wiggle her way out into the open while trying to accustom her eyes to the mid-afternoon sun. Her stomach lurched as she fell from the hole to the floor, all her hard earned air gushing from her lungs at the impact.

Taking a moment to simply lay there and rest, Alex continued her efforts to accustom her eyes to the level of brightness. It took her longer than she would have liked to open her eyes just the slightest and even then her vision was slightly blurred. Trying not to take it to heart she instead started feeling around her with her hands, similar to what she did while still trapped in the cave. She revelled in feeling the soft grass beneath her battered and wounded fingertips. She couldn't have spent that long in the collapsed cave but it felt like forever since she'd touched anything so soft. Fluffy cats couldn't even compare.

All the while she continued trying to improve her sight and it soon got better. She still had a little more work to do before she earned back her twenty-twenty vision but she could now look around her while only slightly squinting. From what she could comprehend above her was a mass of treetops, the vivid colours striking her like a slap to the face. Maybe it was due to the time she'd spent in the darkness but she couldn't remember the greenery around the cave ever looking so alive. It was almost abnormal and alien to her, as even on a bright summer's day the surrounding countryside by her cottage always seemed a little muted. She was never surprised by that though, the world she lived in had lost its purity a long time ago.

Looking around her some more the brunette found it was the same all around. Her heart raced as her eyes fully recovered and her sights clarity revealed more vibrant colours and healthy woodland. Focusing back on the hole she'd emerged the cave from she nearly screamed in shock. The previously bare rock side she'd become accustomed to was now covered in grass and wildflowers that were unfamiliar to her. She couldn't have been out for longer than a few hours at most so how had grass had time to grow? Maybe somebody had been a busy bee and decided it would make a great secret garden? She just didn't know. She began to shake a little as her mind ran a mile a minute.

Forcing her thoughts to slow she grasped hold of her guitar, treating it as a lifeline. She knew her best line of action was to make her way home and think things through there, maybe Emily even knew what was happening. She had tried to warn her after all and she had ignored those in frustration she stood on wobbly legs and leaned her guitar against the side of what used to be her pick-up spot. She wondered if her overnight bag was still in that small, dark space. She hadn't felt it when she was scoping out the inside earlier but decided it was worth a look. Peering in proved to be futile however. She blocked out any light that would enter the cave, leaving her little choice but to abandon her hope of having extra clothes.

Scowling down at her disintegrating attire Alex once again grasped her guitar and hoisted it so the curve would rest comfortable on her shoulder and she could keep a thorough grip without tiring her arms too much. She found it disheartening that she was already getting tired and she'd only made it out of the cave so far. Her stomach had also made its complaints more audible, cramping lightly at the thought of being full. When was the last time she'd had a decent meal that wasn't instant noodles or a ready meal? She was disappointed to realise that she actually couldn't remember.

Gazing up at the sun behind the treetops she was shocked at the progress it had made. She hadn't realised that she had lain on the grass for an hour or two; it had simply felt like a few minutes as she waited for her eyes to recover and her body to regain strength. She realised she must have taken a quick nap; her efforts had taken more out of her than she would have liked. Shaking her head to clear it of the shock of her revelation she used the former entrance of the cave to determine the direction she would have to travel to make it back to her cottage. With a shaky step forward she began the slow trek back to her home.

"This shit is fucked up." Alex stated to no-one, her croaky voice echoing back to her and her dry throat jumping to the forefront of her mind as she steadily made her way over the wild terrain one wobbly step at a time

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><p>Time dragged on for Alex as she slowly made her way through the woodland. She kept track of the sun and had an idea that it'd only be a short while until she reached her little cottage. Or at least she hoped so. She'd taken twice as long to reach what she guessed was the halfway point due to having to take multiple breaks, her arms and legs nearly giving out on her at various points. It was beginning to worry her more and more. She'd been a part of various accidents before and she'd never felt so drained. The hope that before long that she'd be able to take a shower and have dinner kept her feet moving slowly but surely.<p>

Pausing to catch her breath the brunette glanced around for her bearings, finding even more unfamiliar trees. She had yet to spot a single familiar landmark and that distressed her further. She knew she was giving herself false hope with the thoughts of her little home but she couldn't deny she was undoubtedly lost. She adamantly refused to accept it until she saw proof however. She'd just escaped from her cave, which she knew and was familiar with; she just couldn't fathom how the trees had changed within the space of a night at most.

Now tired and frustrated she let herself fall to the floor, settling her guitar on the dirt gently so she could tie the lower half of her hair into another knot. She'd regretted not tying all her hair back now but as the saying went: hindsight is a bitch. She couldn't even play her guitar for long to relax due to her sore fingers. That was currently ranking within the top five of her mental list of frustrations. She would go nuts if she couldn't play something soon.

Breathing deeply to try combat her current stress levels Alex rethought her current plan of action. She'd gotten out of her cave, she'd headed in the direction she knew her cottage was in and was now lost. She now needed to find either a landmark or find a local for directions back home. That was the best she was going to get she decided, she was never one for making solid plans. That was Emily, her ever stalwart friend who always came up with the awesome plans.

A sudden pang of loneliness hit her then. Emily always knew what to do in a sticky situation. She normally just stood there like a lemon and became worried about whatever trouble she was in, which is what she was currently doing. If she ended up missing in these strange woods would her friend mourn her? Would she gather the rest of their friends of try to find her? She knew her family would when they heard but how long would it take for the news to reach them? She now regretted the way she scarcely talked to her parents. Maybe that would now be her downfall.

The brunette growled and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes as tears began to gather. She rarely cried these days and she wouldn't start now. No way in hell. Crying had only made her situation worse in the past. She'd rather get on her knees and beg her best friend to sing with her which usually ended in some bruises for both parties, than cry just because she felt a little sorry for herself. Nu-uh. No way.

Pulling her hands from her eyes as she felt her eyes dry up again, Alex looked up at the obscured horizon. It was starting to get dark now and her stomach cramps were becoming more severe. She couldn't fathom sleeping outside without her sleeping bag and the company of her friends but it looked like she might have to if she couldn't find her way soon. She supposed she could give searching one more go before giving up hope for the day. It couldn't hurt, right?

And so the brunette dragged herself up onto her sore feet again, hoisting her guitar onto her shoulder once more, this time setting off in a random direction. She decided that if she couldn't find anything this time then she would find somewhere to settle that didn't look too dirty. She was already dirty enough to be able to pot plants, for crying out loud! Unfortunately desperate times called for desperate measures.

She slowly drifted off into her thoughts as she trudged along. Her only acknowledgement of the world around her during this time was when she took in the dwindling light. However after an indeterminate amount of time, just as the final light of the sun was fading she noticed the trees around her thinning and being replaced by rolling hills and grassland. She didn't fail to notice that even in the setting sun the colours of the world were still ridiculously bright. She had to know if it was just her or not.

At that moment she heard distant laughter and the sound of cheering. Alex was paralysed in shock by simply hearing other people interacting with each other. How long had it been since she'd heard or seen anyone? It was just earlier that day right? It felt like longer, like years had passed for her in solitude. That's what the silence of the woods had done to her: closed her up into its own little world and isolated her from her social habits. Now though, now she had the chance to finally talk to someone! To finally find her way home!

Breaking into a run she scrambled up the nearest grassy hill, eager to find what she assumed was a group of people were. She cradled her guitar to her torso after nearly dropping it when she tripped for the third time. The hill wasn't the biggest she'd ever climbed but her legs were still having trouble trying to match the speed her mind recalled. She nearly bellowed in triumph as she crested the hill, taking a much deserved break before looking at the scene presented to her.

She nearly fell backwards and tumbled back down the hill she'd just climbed. This couldn't be possible. She had to be dreaming. Sure, all of this felt real: the dropping temperature as the sun set, her aching feet and weakness in her body, the depleting air in the cave. All of it. It all felt real but it simply couldn't be. She refused to believe she wasn't dreaming! Sure, she'd read stories like what she was experiencing right now but those were just stories! No, this was just pure nonsense!

Alex barely managed to sit herself down, her guitar thudding dully against the grassy ground as it slipped from her numb fingers. Her mind refused to register the cold seeping through her tattered clothing in favour of the sight before her. Parts of her brain began to shut down, darkness encroaching on the corners of her vision before she shook her head to bring herself back to the present. She desperately wished she had a fat cigarette to help clear her mind and focus on the messed up situation at hand. Tobacco always seemed to help in such sticky situations.

Surely her obsession hadn't taken such a drastic turn for the worst? She'd read up on people who had gone on killing sprees due to avid fantasies brought on by such obsessions. But that wasn't her… was it? No, she'd have noticed other signs that were leading to it, or she would like to think so anyways. Why, oh why, was she stuck on her own and not with someone who could explain this messed up shit to her? Even Emily would have all the answers to this clusterfuck. Regardless even she knew this was madness. Just how did she know?

Because imagining Hobbit Holes in the hillsides just over the crest of that hill was for the mentalists. Complete, utter nutjobs.

"Oh hell no."

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><p>Alright, there's chapter 1 for you folks. Hope you enjoyed, if you did then leave a little review if you will. It always makes me happy to hear what people think. Also, constructive criticism is welcome, flames will be used to light my cigarettes.<p> 


	2. Of Wizards and Hobbits

Here we are again, with chapter 2! I was a bit disappointed that I got no reviews for the first chapter but alas, the story must continue. I want to say a massive thank you to those who have followed this story so far and a big thank you to Belinda Valentine Bite for the favourite. To know that people are keeping an eye on it is nice and makes me want to update again.

Important: Speech might seem slightly strange in this chapter but this note here is to explain it so you understand better. Normal text is Alex speaking in English while italics are Westron. I honestly don't think that anyone would be able to understand the folks in Middle Earth if they were to be transported, especially since their language has a name of its own. This is just something I think so that's why I've done it this way. In some sentences there might be instances where both normal and italic text is used, the normal text is simply words that Alex understands. I'm sure you'll see what I mean as you read.

Without much further ado, I present to you chapter 2. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from J.R.R Tolkien's works but I do own all original characters that you may see. Nor do I own the song used, which is The Rapture by my new favourite band Fort Hope.

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><p>"No, no, no!" Alex screamed. After seeing the Hobbit Holes before her she had sat in a stupor until the sun had set. Nothing was computing and she doubted if anything ever would again, especially now that she was hallucinating. There was simply no other explanation for it. Maybe she'd inhaled some form of hallucinogenic? The thought only helped to speed up her frantically beating heart.<p>

Tripping over a fallen tree branch the brunette allowed herself to fall to her knees, jumping at the sound of her guitar falling beside her. She'd completely forgotten about the instrument and must have unconsciously kept her grip on it after her flight instinct kicked in. Checking it over for any serious damage she sighed in relief. Her heavy breathing slowly calmed but her heart continued to pound as her dread surfaced.

This clusterfuck was the stuff of fan fictions and deluded dreams. As much as she might have entertained the idea when she was younger, she never truly wanted it to happen. She enjoyed her modern privileges too much. Transport, central heating, showers, electricity, the of it. She never wanted to be taken from it. She would happily trade places with someone who dreamt of this situation every day. Sure, she put on a brave front most of the time but it was all just an act, cowards weren't the ones who were supposed to be the 'chosen one'.

Her heart stilled and her body began to shake as her thoughts turned to her family. They wouldn't even know where she was. Would she even be able to find her way back to them? She knew these things usually ended with whatever unlucky soul was transported to a magic land having to help with the storyline, and then they usually went home. Was that what was going to happen to her? Or was she going to be one of the unlucky few who died without making the slightest impact? All she knew was that she didn't want to help with some magnificent quest and die. She'd barely begun to live for Christ's sake!

Alex slowly looked around at what she could see now that night had fallen. All around her were more unfamiliar trees and shrubs, everything beyond obscured by the darkness. She knew now that she would have to slum it where she was for the night. She was simply too drained to try and investigate her 'hallucination' and she wouldn't be able to find her way anywhere without any light regardless. Her body began to shake considerably less as she planned how she would make herself comfy on the rough ground and she began to pull herself back into action.

There was no way she was going to be comfy tonight but she was able to make the floor slightly more appealing. She grabbed her guitar and gently placed it next to her as she curled up; trying to keep whatever body heat she had left where it belonged. It would do her no good to freeze to death when she had only just managed to escape possibly suffocating to death in that cave. Even if she was suffering what she deemed to be potential brain damage. That was her newest reasoning for seeing Hobbit Holes pop up out of nowhere.

Forcing her mind to clear in an attempt to get some shut-eye Alex hugged her guitar close. She must have laid there for hours, trying to calm the tempest in her mind and failing. It all became too much for her and she broke down, her tears flowing freely. Before long the brunette was wailing and sobbing loudly into the tarnished wood of her trusty instrument. She'd never felt so much turmoil in such a short time. She didn't know how to cope. If she was at home she'd be on the phone right now asking her parents if she could stay the night. They never said no and always knew how to perk her mood up. Her quieting wails picked back up as she remembered she wouldn't be able to seek that comfort.

Sometime during her breakdown she finally fell asleep. Her body shut down, overwhelmed. The moon followed the suns path and was once again replaced by the burning orb. Light began to shine through the thick foliage above the sleeping brunette and dragged her from her deep sleep. She groaned as her eyes cracked open. Green. Everything was green. Her side was also aching to high Hell. Letting it all sink in she groaned loudly, yesterday hadn't just been a crazy dream after all. She had really popped up into a fictional world like some over imaginative fangirl.

Groaning again Alex sat up and stretched out her sore side, frustrated to realise that some of the aching was in her muscles. She knew she was unfit at the best of times but she'd walked twice the distance she guessed she'd reached yesterday and never suffered sore muscles. Thankfully though she was feeling a little stronger this morning, even if waking close to the arse crack of dawn had left her drowsy.

Yawning widely the brunette tried to form another plan of action. She felt like she could be an advisor of some sort with the amount of planning she was going through. Listening carefully she couldn't hear any noise except for the local wildlife. She couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. Sure, she could think without being driven insane by the sight of Hobbits or alien homes, yet now she had no idea where she could possibly go. In her haste the night before, she had succeeded in getting herself splendidly lost yet again. She gave up after a couple more minutes when her mind went blank and stood up on unsteady, sore feet.

Holding an arm out in front of her the brunette closed her eyes and slowly spun around. Counting to ten she stopped and opened her eyes, manoeuvring her guitar so the neck was facing in the same direction without taking her eyes away. Feeling a small sense of accomplishment she allowed herself to crack a small smile, she'd managed to do something without freaking out! She would have rewarded herself with a smoke if she still had her tobacco but instead had to make do with relieving her bladder.

She supposed she should be grateful that no one would stumble upon her with her tattered trousers around her ankles but she just couldn't be. She didn't even have toilet roll! She was pretty sure that the musty, sweaty smell was coming from her. Being a creature of hygiene made it nearly unbearable for her but there was nothing she could do to alleviate the problem. Ignoring her habitual mind screaming at her she made herself as decent as possible and made her way back to her guitar.

Hoisting the instrument onto her shoulder for the second day in a row she began to march her barely recovered feet in the direction she'd randomly picked. She tried her best not to trip as she let herself run through her thoughts. If she truly was stuck in a fictional land like she'd assumed the night before, then she had to be in or near the Shire. The Hobbit Holes she'd seen were proof of that. Just where in the Shire was she though? Her knowledge of the Halfling's lands embarrassed her. She usually prided herself on her Lord of the Rings knowledge but this was something that she never thought she would need. And why would she? She wasn't to know that she'd be plonked into an imaginary world!

Grumbling less than child friendly phrases to herself she continued her slow march to nowhere. She hoped she could at least find some wild fruits along her way. Her stomach had placated itself during her sleep but the thoughts of food soon brought back her intense cramps. A couple of times she had to stop and crouch down into a right ball as her insides felt like they were eating themselves. She laughed to herself after her second stop as the mental image of her stomach sitting down at a banquet table with her various organs spread before it entered her mind. It was a grim thought but she was glad to be able to laugh about it. She took it as a sign that she hadn't yet lost all hope.

Her light hearted mood soon died as she continued her trek. She glanced up to find the sun nearly above her through the treetops now. She'd managed to make it to midday and she still hadn't gotten anywhere. Sighing dramatically Alex sat on a large nearby fallen tree branch, settling her guitar on her lap. Her fingers were extremely sore now due to the dirt in the open grazes and they hadn't had the chance to scab over yet but she had spent too long in the silence now. She needed to play something and now. She chose an easy, slow song that she'd learnt when she first decided the guitar was for her so not to aggravate her fingers too much and began.

She played the song gingerly a few times, her fingers plucking the strings steadily. She only stopped when she noticed her index finger beginning to bleed anew. There was no need to completely kill her fingers and make herself unable to play at all. She wiped the excess blood on her already tarnished trousers and glanced at the sun. It hadn't moved at all since her break began. She was about to hoist her guitar back onto her shoulder, and then she heard it. A distant humming and what she swore sounded like hoof beats beating against the ground.

Anxiously the brunette made her way towards the sound she had to awkwardly make her way through some thorny shrubs, thoroughly scratching her legs in the process, but her efforts were rewarded as a dirty road became visible through the trees. She tried to locate the source of the sounds she heard and spotted a cart further down the road, slowly moving away from her. Retreating back into the forest slighty she jogged to catch up, pinning her guitar more firmly to her shoulder. Thankfully the cart and driver weren't moving very fast and she was soon able to catch up, walking beside it in the forest so she could scope out the potential danger.

A simple cart was being pulled along by what she thought was a shire horse. She could have been wrong though, she never was the best at identifying horse breeds. Whatever was in the back of the cart was obscured by a cloth tarp. Her heart raced as her mind jumped to all the wrong conclusions about what could be concealed beneath the covering. Finally she forced herself to focus on the driver, expecting to see what she would stereotypically class as a 'creeper'. Her heart calmed at the sight of the old man sitting upon the seat, seemingly happily puffing away on an obscenely long pipe and humming a merry tune. She took stock of his grey robes and large pointy hat. They seemed familiar but the face didn't quite match the one she had in mind, only the robes and large beard filled the description.

She continued to scrutinise the old man and his cart as she walked beside it in the woods. When she finally looked away she realised with a start that the humming had stopped. She'd revelled in it so easily after having only the wildlife to listen to so far. She stopped and looked back towards the cart, her heart stopping as she saw it had stopped with her. The worst thing was that the old man was looking straight at her hiding spot, his eyes seemingly looking right at her. She tried to creep further back into the forest when he spoke out, stopping her in her tracks. As her eyes flitted over his face she was disarmed by the, almost, cheeky smile on his face.

"_Come on out, my dear. You have nothing to fear from me._" Alex's brow furrowed in confusion. What did he just say to her? She knew he was talking to her as he still held his gaze pinned on her. All she'd heard however was what she classed as gobbledygoop. He certainly wasn't speaking English that was for sure. His words almost seemed like a mixture of many different languages so she couldn't pin any words down in her mind to reply with. Cautiously peeking around the tree that was her sanctuary she called back out to him, even though she suspected he wouldn't understand her either.

"How do I know you're not some dirty rapist or a creepy old man with a fetish for young girls?" As she suspected the old man's brow furrowed much the same way hers did. She watched him for a few moments muttering to himself, seemingly deep in thought. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she initially thought. If he had a sinister ulterior motive he would have gotten off his seat by now, right? Maybe he could help her. What choice did she have anyways? She was cold, hungry, lost and incredibly filthy. Pondering her options as minutes ticked by she made up her mind

"Okay old man, I'm coming out. Just don't… I don't know; flash me or anything, okay?" Cradling her guitar to her side Alex slowly walked out from her hiding place, her free hand held up in a placating gesture. Now out in the open she kept her eyes on the elderly gentleman before her, keeping a fair bit of distance between them. She might be taking a punt but she wasn't going to risk anything happening to her if she could help it.

"_Child, whatever had happened to you? Never mind that, come closer, I have something that just might help._" The brunette took a sudden step back as the old man lifted a corner of his tarp and fished around inside the cart. She had registered his hand motion to come closer but she wouldn't do such a thing until she knew what he was doing. He could be looking for a filleting knife right now for all she knew, and right now that wasn't a lot. Thankfully a moment later he sat back up, humming in apparent victory as he pulled free a length of cloth.

"_This should do the trick. It may be large but it will serve our purposes. Come, I will not hurt you._" Alex cautiously watched as the old man held the length of cloth open towards her. It almost looked like a cape. It wouldn't be that farfetched if it was would it? After all, she'd seen bloody Hobbit Holes the night before! Mustering her courage she slowly made her way forwards, clutching her guitar even closer to her side. She stopped when she was in arms reach of the cloak and shakily stretched out her free hand to take it. She almost felt like a wild animal being tempted closer with food, it was just too good to be true.

Standing awkwardly for a moment she rested her guitar against the side of the cart while she pulled the cloak around her, constantly keeping one eye on the elderly man before her. She was grateful that he remained glued to his seat; she probably would have bolted if he'd made any move towards her. The thought of having to abandon her guitar caused her to grab it in haste and once again pin it to her side. It was a struggle since the cloak threatened to fall off her shoulders but she managed. Even though reluctant, she remembered her manners and briefly made eye contact with the old man. "Thank you."

The old man's face visibly brightened further before her eyes and she would have laughed had she not been in such a precarious position. He seemed to be in deep thought and murmured quietly to himself as the minutes passed by. Becoming uneasy the brunette began to fidget, preparing herself to bolt back into the woods at a moment's notice. She almost did so when the old man commented to himself in his strange language, sounding proud, as he brought his attention back to her. "You name?"

Alex jumped in shock at the broken English but soon forgot about it as the words of her mother tongue rang in her ears. He spoke English! She couldn't have been more relieved than she was in that moment. Now she could finally get somewhere! She could have a nice warm shower, or bath, in her near future and that pleased her in more than one way. If only she had her fluffy dressing gown handy, not that she wasn't grateful for the cloak. She hadn't realised just how cold it was until she had more than the rags that used to be her clothes.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you speak English! Look, you have to help me out here. I don't know where I am and I'm starting to see things. It's not normal! I just want to go home so if you can point me in the right direction that would be great." The brunette frowned at the blank look she received. She'd watched the old man's reactions as she spoke and noticed his eyes light up at a few words but overall she had mainly been given the same blank look she could now see. Her spirits dampened as she realised that he must only know the odd few words, she couldn't really talk to him like she wanted to.

"Okay, maybe we need to go about this another way…" she mumbled to herself. Just how could she get across what she had to say? She began to tap her fingers against her guitar as she ran through some ideas in her head. When it finally came to her she began to flap her free hand in her excitement, surprising both herself and the old man. Shaking off her embarrassment she patted her hand against her chest firmly in the hopes he knew what he was indicating. "Alex."

Her luck was finally beginning to grow. She felt embarrassed again, how did she almost bin the idea of charades when it was a popular game with her friends? She would still be stood here trying to solve the problem if she had. The old man understood her gesture and repeated the action back to her, tipping his large hat in greeting. "Gandalf."

The brunette's heart stopped for what she hoped was the last time. If she kept this up she'd end up having a heart attack but she could have sworn he'd said his name was Gandalf. Surely that couldn't be right though, he looked nothing like the Gandalf she imagined in her head. Granted the image her mind always conjured was Sir Ian McKellen but the man claiming to be his character looked older, a little frailer. Maybe she'd simply misheard him.

"Gandalf?" She took a deep breath as the elderly man nodded and smiled brightly at her. Okay, she could roll with this, it couldn't be much worse than seeing Hobbits after all. No harm could come from playing along with this farce, right? The worst that could happen would be that it turned out to be real, unfortunately she was leaning more towards that idea as time passed. She might end up passing out if she met anyone else that cemented it.

"_Yes, I am _Gandalf _the Grey. You have definitely piqued my curiosity, my dear._" Alex tried not to pull too many faces as the 'Gandalf' before her slipped back into his strange tongue. Things certainly weren't transpiring as easily as they did in the fanfictions. Wasn't she supposed to be able to magically understand everyone? All these factors were driving her to insanity. She just couldn't figure out what was what! The 'wizard' before her must have noticed her turmoil as he gently patted the bench net to him on the cart and simply said "Come".

She warred with herself. Her 'stranger danger' instinct was in full force but she had been shown kindness and careful consideration. Besides, she was still desperately hungry and riding the cart would give her weary feet a good rest. Decided, she banished her wariness and jumped up onto the cart. She had to re-secure the cloak around her and trap her guitar between her legs but the loss of pressure on her feet was bliss.

The old man smiled gently at her before urging his horse to continue its journey. He also continued his humming and Alex found it to be oddly soothing. It reminded her of when she was young and spending the weekend at her granddads. He often used to hum in such a way. The memory helped relax her further, a smile finally breaking the stiffness of her face. If her corpse was to be found in some ditch, at least she could die happy with the knowledge that she could still smile.

Her curiosity peaked a little while later. She'd been guessing at what was beneath the tarp behind her since she'd first spotted it. Since she was still in one piece she decided it didn't contain nasty, sharp instruments of death like she'd first thought. Fidgeting so she could turn herself to gain easier access she slowly began to lift the edge closest to her, her gaze darting back to the grey robed man beside her. If he had noticed what she was doing he was doing a good job at hiding it although she swore she saw the edges of his mouth twitch into a brief smile once. Shrugging it off she continued to lift the tarp and gawked at the sight.

Magical land or not, she'd recognise fireworks anywhere. There was a large assortment ranging from ridiculously large, to tiny little firecrackers. She didn't feel assured that they were attached safely but she was so surprised she instantly forgot about it. Picking up one of the tiddly fireworks she held it in her palm. It had no distinguishable markings on it but it felt heavier than it looked. Her head snapped up at the elderly gentleman beside her as he laughed. She groaned and looked between him and the firework before he held a match towards her.

"Really? You're going to let me light this thing while we're riding in a wooden cart?" Just to make sure she got her words across she pointedly looked between the firework and match, and then raised a sceptical eyebrow at him. He laughed lightly once more and began miming to her what she assumed were the instructions. Okay, so he wanted her to light it. That much was clear. Then she was to throw it, check. And then she was to… That action was lost to her but she had the general gist. Striking the match she brought the flaming end to the short wick at one end. Not wanting to possibly blow the horse to smithereens she next stood to get the appropriate height to throw it behind the cart, letting it sail through the air.

Alex was almost disappointed when the little firework fell to the floor and did nothing. She was about to sit back down when suddenly a bright flash blinded her. Now she understood what that final hand gesture had been. Goddamn, that had been bright. She could only make out small flashes of colour through the huge white spot obscuring her vision and she sighed in disappointment, sitting herself back down dejected. This language barrier sucked balls. Seriously. She'd missed out on a firework due to it.

"_I did warn you._" She could almost hear the smile in the old man's voice. Even a language barrier couldn't mask the stench of smugness. He sure was playful for an old man. She was about to introduce him to the two finger salute when she saw his pipe hanging from his mouth. She wondered if he would share with her, she had lost her tobacco during her fiasco with the cave. The itch for nicotine had been pushed to the back of her mind while she was traipsing in the woods but now it was back in full force.

Clearing her throat to gain the old man's attention she pointed to his pipe and tried to mime what she hoped was a 'pretty please' He removed the pipe from his mouth and glanced from it to her. She wondered if it was his favourite pipe of something, surely he couldn't be so tight with his tobacco that he would deny her a few puffs. Her thoughts were interrupted as the pipe was held towards her. She had to stop herself squealing in joy and bouncing like a spaz as she gently took it and held it in front of her. A quick wipe of the mouthpiece and she was ready to rock. It couldn't be that different to smoking a cigarette, right?

Oh, how wrong she was. On her first drag she spluttered and choked like a newbie having a pull on their first cig. She wasn't sure if she'd done it right or wrong but one thing was for sure, that tobacco was incredibly strong. Her throat burned and her eyes watered but she refused to hand the pipe back just yet, not until her cravings had been satisfied at least. Alex suffered the humiliation as the old man laughed at her continued efforts but she thankfully noticed she coughed a little less with each pull. By the time she handed the long pipe back her lungs were still trying to leap into her throat but she had gotten her nicotine fix so she was content.

She resituated her guitar onto her lap and was about to try play along to 'Gandalf's' humming when she remembered her fingertips. The worst ones had finally started scabbing up a little but the rest were still sore grazes. Catching the old man's eye she showed him her fingertips and hoped he caught on. He seemed to mull over it for a moment before gesturing to a knapsack at his feet. She didn't know how she missed that but pulled it up onto the space on the bench between them. She nearly freaked when the reins were forced into her hands so he could search through his bag. She'd never ridden a horse before, never mind been in control of one pulling a cart! She didn't have to worry for long as the reins were soon replaced with a small jar. She opened it to find a cream inside. She applied a liberal amount to each fingertip and wondered what to do next; she couldn't touch anything with creamy fingers! Her issue was solved when the pot of cream vanished and was replaced with two rolls of bandages.

Alex looked at the old man as she sloppily wrapped her hands and fingers up. She was irked to find that cheeky smile on his face again, clearly amused by her moments of confusion. Huffing petulantly she finished wrapping her hands and focused on her guitar again. She decided to play some simple tunes, her fingers still aching through the messy bandages. It was her turn to smirk this time when the grey robed man beside her stared at the instrument in her hands with fascination. She would have thought he'd never seen a guitar before but that would be ridiculous.

As time passed and the landscape around them changed Alex became more comfortable around the strange man beside her. He'd gently placated her when the Hobbit Holes came back into view and she tried to jump out of the cart, wanting to hide away from what was before her in the woods. Since then she'd remained glued to her seat and watched anxiously as they got closer to the abodes and some of the little folk who lingered outside them. She had to resist pulling faces at the hobbits who stared at them as they passed by. Especially when she spotted some of the disgusted looks that were sent her way. She didn't even have the chance to ponder over the face that seemingly real-life hobbits were around her as anger and humiliation took over her mind.

More little settlements passed by as the afternoon sun began its slow descent towards the horizon. By that time she was absolutely famished, her hunger forgotten in all the excitement she had faced since leaving the woods. Her stomach thankfully saved her from having to mime as she grinned sheepishly at the old man who had at some point become a true companion. He had looked shocked at the loudness of her stomachs growl but soon laughed and fished an apple from his knapsack, handing it over. She'd never been so happy to see fruit before. The brunette polished off the apple in record time, seeds and all which she hated, and looked back for some more. She felt like a dog begging for scraps at a table but she didn't care as she was rewarded with another apple.

As they continued to travel through the Shire, she assumed that was where they were since the areas they'd passed were full of halfling's and more Hobbit Holes, she continued trying to talk to her elderly companion and vise versa. She heard more broken English but he clearly didn't understand much of what he was saying as he made no sense most of the time. They both found their efforts futile and returned to miming. It was a massive pain in her arse but compared to the wildlife of the forest it was a welcome change.

The brunette began to fidget on her seat in the hopes of gaining feeling back into her arse. The sun was now dropping over the horizon and she'd been sat on the wooden bench for hours, she didn't know how the old man could do it all the time. She smiled brightly as she was handed the long pipe she'd slowly become accustomed to. She still wasn't sure she was smoking it right but she wasn't complaining. After all, he always went halves with her and she thought it extremely generous. She was going to end up owing him an arm and a leg when she managed to sort herself out.

She was happily puffing away when she began to hear a commotion over the hill. She looked at the old man in confusion but he merely smiled in return. She supposed she would find out what was happening soon enough, and find out she did. As they crested the hill, the sun barely visible now, a clearing with a huge tree met her sight. What shocked her more than the amount of tents tables and lanterns was the amount of hobbits running this way and that. She knew they were scarce as they travelled through the Shire but she didn't realise that most of them were probably in one place. It was overwhelming.

It didn't take her long to realise that they were making their way towards the busy clearing. She clenched her guitar rightly between her knees and secured the large cloak around her form. Yes, she was horribly dirty but she didn't want to seem like some sort of whore who couldn't afford to clothe herself. She had more dignity than that.

The cart trundled ever closer to the clearing and came to a stop before an empty tent. Her merry companion got off the wooden bench she had dubbed 'arse-killer' before walking around to help her down. Her legs shook as they once again bore her weight but she held herself tall and thanked him. He nodded his head in understanding and began to work to unload his cart into the tent. She decided the least she could do was help so she tied the dragging cloak around her firmly, similar to a sarong, and began to pile the ridiculous amount of fireworks into the tent. She noticed the old man talking to a Hobbit and pointing at her at one point while she was busy but decided to ignore it, it was probably nothing.

The cart was emptied in no time at all and Alex sighed in relief, collecting her guitar from the side of the cart and resting it on its seat of honour on her shoulders. She was about to wonder what would happen now when a hand firmly grasped her wrist and began to drag her backwards. Startled she looked for the owner of the offending hand and found a female hobbit who was muttering wildly to herself. She looked toward her companion for help but found him to be winking at her. The bastard had set her up! She was about to start plotting her revenge when she was suddenly shoved into a tent, the little hobbit leaving her with some foreign words she couldn't understand.

Looking around the tent she found that all she could see was a metal tub in the centre, steaming away to itself. Beside it she could see a few jars with questionable contents, a towel and what might possibly be a pile of clothes. She could be burning in the deepest pits of Hell right now and she wouldn't care, she could have a bath! She couldn't get her soiled clothes off fast enough. She didn't even wait to acclimatise to the heat of the water, diving straight in and sighing in relief. The tub was a bit cramped but she couldn't give a rat's arse, this was Heaven!

She sat there until the chill in her muscles and bones had truly been banished. Her night in the woods had given it a chance to settle in and while the cloak had helped out it had only been a minor assistance. Leaning over the side of the tub she began to inspect the jars. They all smelt overly floral but compared to dirt and sweat it was a godsend. Now she just had to figure out what was for what. Unwrapping her bandages Alex took a small dollop from each jar and rubbed it between her palms. Okay, none of them foamed up so they couldn't figure out their purposes but as she placed the last jar back down she spotted a white bar hiding. Soap! Now, she knew what to do with that.

Picking the bar of soap up she began to scrub every nook and cranny with it. Before she was done she noticed the water turn a murky brown, frowning in disgust. Maybe she should have started with her hair if her skin was this dirty. Unknotting the bottom half of her hair and unbraiding the top she manoeuvred so she could dip her hair under the dirty water, grasping blindly for one of the jars. Sitting back up she scooped a large amount of the flowery substance out and slapped it onto her greasy strands. She lathered it in and washed it out after a few minutes, deeming the job as good as it was going to get.

Keeping an eye on the tent entrance she stood up out of the cooling water and picked up the towel. Rubbing herself dry she hastily wrapped the small towel around her, looking between her ruined clothes and the nice clean ones. She didn't want to abandon her clothes as they were a piece of home, she couldn't put them back on as they were though. Relenting she took a couple of steps towards the clean pile and took a look. There was a tunic shirt and a skirt that would reach above her knees. She'd seen a couple of the male hobbits wearing similar shirts as they'd passed through the Shire and it certainly looked big enough to cover the essentials. Fishing her dirty underwear from the second pile she put it back on and slipped the shirt over her head. It was tight around the shoulders but she would have to make do. Next was the skirt. That fit with no problems, even if it was severely shorter than on the hobbits. She was glad it was loose and flowed around her legs easily though. Donning her mucky socks and boots once again she gathered her ruined clothes and left the tent.

She found her elderly companion still by his cart, talking to another hobbit a short distance away. As she moved closer the old man looked up and smiled at her, pointing towards her guitar which was leaning inside the tent with all the fireworks. She must have dropped it in her surprise when the hobbit lady accosted her. She was almost ashamed that she had forgotten about it. Dumping her clothes in the back of the empty cart she made her way to the instrument. Before picking it up she finger combed her dripping hair and split it, returning it to its previous style. She was confused to find the elasticity had gone from her bobble as she retied her braid but it still served its purpose.

Hoisting her guitar back to its favourite spot on her shoulder she rejoined the old man by his cart. The hobbit had left but he smiled at her and began to lead her further into the clearing with a simple hand gesture. She followed him closely, almost standing on the edges of his robe. As they got closer to the large throng of hobbits she began to hear a chorus of "Gandalf!" coming from all directions, slowly getting louder and louder. Before she knew it they were surrounded by a horde of children all screaming the name. She didn't know where to look, everywhere she turned there was another child cheering or screaming the old man's name. Well, at least she knew he wasn't kidding when he said his name was Gandalf now.

The mass of children all cheered at something Gandalf said. When he turned to face her, that cheeky smile once more present, she knew she was going to hate what happened next. And indeed she did. In the space of a minute he had herded her and the children to one of the many tables, sitting her down and ushering the kids to do the same on the floor in front of her. "Stay." Was all he said to her before disappearing. Taking stock of the situation all she could focus on were the multitudes of bright, eager eyes staring back at her. The light of the lanterns almost made them seem sinister.

"Okay, uhh…" She scanned the crowd again and tried to fathom what they were expecting from her. She wasn't a children's entertainer for crying out loud! That was Gandalf's job! She was a simple busker- that's it! She could placate the rabid beasts with her guitar! Or so she hoped. She sat her guitar on her lap and strummed her fingers across the strings, giving it a quick tune-up. "How about a song?"

Some of the children cheered at the sounds from her guitar as she finished tuning it while others whispered to each other. She picked the first song that came to mind and began to play, coughing to clear her throat as she sang along. She'd missed being able to play like this. Her incident at the cave already felt like a million years ago and she was happy to leave it behind her. Slipping back into her usual routine wasn't as hard as she thought it would be.

_So these are the choices  
>I decided it's right to lie<br>Just to cover it up  
>And bury it tonight<br>Because if you've got beliefs like me  
>The key is in what you dream<br>Not to shackle them up  
>And call it Destiny<em>

Alex looked around to check her progress. She mentally cheered as the children seemed enraptured, if not confused. She topped her thoughts there as she nearly missed the next cue for the bridge, throwing herself back into the song.

_It was never this hard when we were young  
>Somehow I can still feel myself thinking it over<br>When it's over_

_Because you never listen  
>You must be lying to us all<br>I hope the rapture's really coming  
>Just like the waves of the ocean<br>We are rising  
>I feel the beat in my soul<br>And now I've finally got it  
>I will never let it go<br>No, no_

_So this is the point where I  
>Regret that I even tried<br>To cover it up and bury it tonight_

As she neared the end of the song she noticed a few other hobbits watching her from nearby. Well, since she was already giving them a show she might as well up her game a little. Giving her fingers a little more oomph she prepared herself for more ear friendly singing.

_Well if this is the part where the luck runs out  
>At least there's some truth to what happens now<br>I can still feel myself thinking it over  
>When it's over<em>

_Because you never listen  
>You must be lying to us all<br>I hope the rapture's really coming  
>Just like the waves of the ocean<br>We are rising  
>I feel the beat in my soul<br>And now I've finally got it  
>I will never let it go<br>No, no_

_It's because you never listen._

The last notes faded and the brunette sighed in relief. She was certainly glad to be playing in front of an audience again, even if the hobbits couldn't understand her as well as Gandalf. Clearly it was too much for the children though they all looked ready to eat their fingers in boredom. It was made clearer when one child stood and screamed something, the others soon joining in. She was about to sit back and relax when a small female Hobbit took her hand and began to try tugging her along.

"No, no. I don't want to do… Whatever it is you're doing." The little girl simply wrinkled her nose at her and began tugging more firmly. Relenting with a heavy sigh Alex let the girl drag her in the direction the other children had gone, making sure to keep her guitar close. Hopefully she wouldn't regret this decision too much but only time would tell. She was only taken behind one of the cart tents but she already wanted to return to her lonely table when all those eyes fixated on her again. There would be no rescue this time if they all decided she was easy pickings.

She hoped her anxiousness hadn't been noticed as she masked her face with an easy-going grin. A few of the children returned it before turning back to their 'leader'. The discussion was a mess of shouts and whines but soon they all appeared to be in agreement again. A couple of the younger children groaned as they were pointed out and faced towards the back of the tent, shouting out what she guessed could have been numbers. If not for the little girl she would have been stood there like a lemon, all the other children already scattered.

She was quickly pushed into a bush at the edge of the clearing, the little girl disappearing as quickly as she had appeared when Gandalf had shown his face at the party. She was horribly confused and was about to try and grab herself a drink when she spotted the two children who were left behind run from behind the tent. She ducked down instinctively and nearly dropped her guitar when it dawned on her. She'd been roped into a game of bloody hide and seek!

This was going to be a long night…

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><p>It was indeed a very long night for her. Thankfully the children had paused in their game of hide and seek to watch Gandalf's fireworks and they were pretty damn impressive, but after she'd been dragged back into it by the same little girl from before. It seemed the horde of tiny people had decided she was a great playing companion she couldn't worm her way out of the game for nothing! The brunette just couldn't stand it anymore! She was going batshit crazy!<p>

Her escape made a pretty good sign for her as she spotted Gandalf near her current hiding spot, talking to a single hobbit. Whatever they were discussing didn't seem to be going down well with the little guy but she couldn't give a flying fuck right now. Popping her head out of the bushes she was in she scouted around for any of the children. Wherever they were they'd left the coast clear and she grasped the opportunity, clutching her guitar close and making a run for it.

As she reached the elder wizard she grabbed the excess of his robe and lifted it to cover her face. It wouldn't help to hide her much but she was desperate! The munchkins were just too much! Looking up at Gandalf, his expression split between amusement and shock, she gave him the best wide-eyed look she could. "Help me."

Gandalf burst into laughter and she frowned. Her situation really wasn't that funny, or so she thought. She was forced to focus on the wizard's companion a moment later when she was pulled up, the grey robe between her fingers forcibly removed. Alex blinked in confusion as a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. "_This is the young lady I was just telling you about_."

To her shock the hobbit before her started spitting words back at Gandalf. She really wished she could understand what was being said; surely whatever the old man had said didn't warrant such fire? Then again, he could have said something regarding mums and very unfavourable actions for all she knew. After a few minutes, which felt like hours to her, they seemed to come to an agreement. The hobbit sighed and she mentally repeated the action. Her neck was getting sore from whipping her head back and forth between the two.

She accidently made eye contact with the hobbit and was about to look elsewhere when she caught his frown. There was something vaguely familiar about this halfling but she just couldn't put her finger on it. It was frustrating as she recognised the frown but nothing else was ringing any bells. The hand still on her shoulder shook her from her thoughts and she glanced at Gandalf questioningly.

"_My dear, I would like you to meet _Bilbo Baggins. _Master _Baggins, _this is _Alex."

Wait. He said Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins. Did she hear that right? Surely not. Looking closely she now realised that the hobbit before her did strike a resemblance to Martin Freeman's representation of Bilbo. That was where she'd seen that frown before! It was seen through most of The Hobbit movies! But if this really was Bilbo before her and Gandalf next to her…

"This shit just keeps getting worse by the minute."

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><p>So that's chapter 2 for you. We have some characters finally in the story! It was fun for me to write Gandalf as I did. Hope you all enjoyed, leave a review if you did, it would certainly make my day! Constructive criticism is welcome but flames will still be used to light my smokes.<p> 


	3. Peculiar Discoveries

Well, here we are with chapter 3. Hope you all had a good Christmas and New Years, I know I did! I would have uploaded this sooner but I got caught up in family time over the Christmas period etc. Oh well, it's here now and I hope you all enjoy it! I've certainly enjoyed writing everything that I have so far!

Just a quick shout out to Mizz-Ely and . for your reviews! It was nice to see those emails pop up into my inbox! A very big thank you to those of you who also followed, it's heartening to see people keeping an eye out.

Important: Just as a little reminder, just like chapter 2 the speech might seem strange here. It will all clear up as more chapters come along so don't worry, it won't be weird for too much longer! In some sentences there might be instances where both normal and italic text is used, the normal text is simply words that Alex understands.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from J.R.R Tolkien's works but I do own all original characters that you may see.

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><p>Alex was firmly sat down. First she'd conveniently bumped into Gandalf and now she'd been somewhat introduced to Bilbo. Unless her friends had spent a shit ton of money on a very elaborate plan to prank her, she was going to have to get used to the fact that she was very far from home. From her family. She almost burst into tears right then but she held it back; she wasn't a little girl anymore.<p>

Gandalf and Bilbo were still talking an arms distance away, about what, she still didn't know. She grabbed the mug from the table behind her and took a small sip. A few minutes ago a timid looking young hobbit had brought it to her with a tentative smile. She'd returned it but swiftly masked her distress since she must have been broadcasting it. She wasn't a fan of ale but the warm drink was doing her wonders, especially since she'd left Gandalf's cloak in the tent she'd bathed in.

She continued to sip from her mug as she watched the two men before her. She returned any frowns Bilbo sent her way and tried to keep her attention on her hands, failing spectacularly. She didn't have to try for much longer as the little girl who had dragged her into the game of hide and seek appeared out of nowhere with a couple of the other girls. She tried to drag her away again, presumably for another game, but she remained rooted in her seat. She gave the confused little girl an apologetic smile and tried to return to her drink. She jolted in surprise when her guitar fell against her knee and caught the little girl grinning cheekily.

Placing the mug back onto the table the brunette sat her guitar on her legs. The three children sat before her again as they had earlier that night and she plucked at the strings as she thought of a song to play. She wouldn't be able to play anything too fast as the miracle concoction Gandalf had given her was wearing off, her fingers beginning to sting with each chord. She quickly decided on a couple of short, easy tunes and began to play. The minutes passed quickly and the children applauded her after each song. Feeling her spirits rise she risked a more upbeat song.

She laughed when the children cheered and stood, dancing messily to the unfamiliar tune. She loved it when her playing brought joy to those that listened. As she neared the end of the song she spotted Gandalf standing behind the dancing children, gesturing to her. Bringing the song to a close she dramatically bowed to the children and rushed to the old man. He gently placed a hand on her back and began to lead her towards Bilbo, who looked to be waiting impatiently by the cart that once held the fireworks.

Alex looked around as they neared the empty cart and noticed most of the party-goers had left the clearing. She wondered just how long they'd been there; she still didn't even know what they were celebrating. She grabbed her tattered clothing from the cart as they reached it, looking at the two men for further instructions. Gandalf smiled at her but Bilbo huffed and began to stiffly march away. She slung her guitar back onto its usual spot and began to slowly follow behind the two men. If she wasn't careful she'd have a guitar shaped groove on her shoulder before long, she wished her case hadn't gone missing in that godforsaken cave.

She began to tire quickly on the uphill trek. She might have recovered her strength by now but she hadn't had a proper dinner and she'd been sat down a lot. She knew she should have looked for something to eat at the party but she'd been distracted by everything around her. Her unfit condition wasn't helped by her smoking habit either. Thinking about it made her crave a smoke again she was appalled to find. Catching up to the wizard ahead of her she tugged on his robe in embarrassment. When she securely had his attention she mimed her want for his pipe, feeling a small sense of victory when he handed it over with a match.

She was grateful she'd watched Gandalf lighting his pipe as they travelled through the Shire, otherwise she would have been clueless. She'd fallen behind the two ahead of her now but she didn't care as she happily puffed away on the ridiculously long pipe. She was proud she could smoke now without hacking up her lungs but she was close a couple of times. Each time she glared at the smoking implement as though to blame it for her ailments.

During their trek the brunette noticed the landscape become more familiar. It looked more like the little hobbit towns she'd passed on her way through the Shire except more exclusive. Maybe this was the posh end of the Shire? She snickered to herself as the image of hobbits walking around wearing top hats and monocles tickled her. That would be a sight to see. All joking aside the area really did seem familiar. It was when Gandalf and Bilbo disappeared up a short set of stairs in a hillside that she looked up.

Bag End, of course. Where else would they be going with the miserable hobbit? She perked up at the thought of being able to maybe go inside, the films had always made the little home seem wonderful and beautiful. Jogging up the steps to catch up to Gandalf she beamed up at him. He seemed confused at her change in mood but she didn't take it to heart, he didn't know what she knew after all so it was to be expected.

The two were stopped at the door by Bilbo who was spouting out some nonsense. Her hate for the language barrier between them grew. She wasn't an especially nosey person but not knowing what was being said to her was driving her up the wall! She puffed on the wizard's pipe in an exaggerated manner in an attempt to distract herself while the two men locked themselves in discussion again.

Thankfully it was kept short and she was reluctantly welcomed inside. She emptied the half smoked pipe quickly into a nearby bush, handing it back to Gandalf before she huddled behind him as he made his way inside. She watched the hobbit close the door behind them and stomp down the corridor into an unknown room. She made to follow when the old man beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her track. She looked at the wizard in question, both of them stooped over in the short front hall. He pinned her with a firm stare and gave her a firm command. "Stay."

Stay? She wasn't a dog! The brunette huffed as she watched Gandalf enter the room Bilbo had disappeared into, closing the door behind him. She stood stunned for a moment before taking a few tentative steps forward. She was grateful when the ceiling became taller and she could stand without slouching. She found it amusing that she was able to see the fixtures for the chandelier next to her though.

Now, what was she to do? She was told to stay where she was but she was curious and the immaculate Hobbit Hole was just calling to her to be explored… Fuck it! She was going to explore this beast of a home even if it earned her a slap on the wrist. Resting her guitar under the nearby coat hooks and dropping her clothes next to it she checked the door Bilbo and Gandalf had gone through. All clear for the time being. Tiptoeing to the closest door she peered into the first room on her left. The spacious room appeared to be a fancy looking sitting room. Losing interest quickly she closed the door and continued her search.

Room number two on the right proved to be similar to the first and so she swiftly moved on. The next door on the left appeared to be a dining room. Curious as to how immaculate Bilbo was with his cutlery she snooped around a little. She found some fine looking china and was frustrated by the time she finally found the silver eating instruments. The little hobbit sure liked to hide his things securely. She gingerly picked up a large spoon, afraid of leaving incriminating evidence, and found her reflection staring back at her. She'd give Bilbo an eight out of ten for his polishing; it was hard for anyone to beat her good ol' mum's polishing. Putting the spoon back in its resting place she left the dining room to explore further.

Opposite the dining room the brunette found a tidy kitchen. She took a brief look around, thinking on how similar the small room was to the one seen in the films, before leaving. She was eager to find something incriminating to laugh at. Something she would never expect a hobbit of high social status to have. Many items ran through her head and she choked on her sudden laughter. Her gaze darted to the door Bilbo and Gandalf had gone through that was now in front of her and held her breath, all the while trying to kill her sudden fit of giggles.

She sighed in relief as she heard murmurs of conversation, seemingly uninterrupted. Avoiding that room for obvious reasons she moved on to the next three doors on her right. She was disappointed to find all three rooms to be well-stocked pantries but her stomach disagreed. Making sure nobody was going to catch her she slipped into the third pantry and perused the shelves. She couldn't find much that would be nice on its own so she tore as large chunk of cheese from a wheel that didn't smell too offensive. Munching on her cheese she continued her search again.

She had hoped that the rest of the home might have been more exciting but she was sorely disappointed. The rest of the Hobbit Hole had revealed a cellar, a sitting room and a couple of bedrooms. Nothing to hold her attention for a fantastic amount of time. Dejected she slunk back to the front hall, collecting her belongings. What could she possibly do now? She'd explored nearly all the home and she assumed she wasn't allowed to leave. Shrugging she moved towards the second room she'd seen, intent on getting comfy in one of the high backed chairs she'd seen.

Alex sighed in relief as her arse fit into the biggest chair she'd found. It was a close call and if she was the same weight as she'd been a few years back there would have been no chance in hell. She was about to dump her guitar and clothes on the small table in front of her when she spotted a book already occupying it. Changing her mind and placing her things on the floor she picked up the book. Being an avid reader her interest had definitely been piqued.

Turning the book in her hands she marvelled at the hardback covering. She loved her tiny library back at her cottage but she didn't own anything of this quality, it was just far too expensive. Opening the book gently, as though it might turn to dust in her hands, she turned to a random page. She was stunned by the beauty of the text before her eyes. It seemed to be handwritten with decorative swirls and dots that must have taken hours. She was almost tempted to run her fingers over the page but feared she'd smudge the ink, even if that was an impossibility. She was about to put the book back where she'd found it when the open page caught her attention.

The brunette swore she'd just seen a word she knew. Surely that couldn't be right though… Right? With the intention of proving herself wrong she turned the book to another random page, paying close attention to the text before her. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she read a couple of sentences. It was slow going but when she looked past the decoration she could make out familiar words and letters. Her apprehension swiftly became excitement as she read more of the page. She could actually read this! She couldn't keep this revelation to herself!

"Gandalf! Hey! Have I got mint news for you!" Leaping up from the chair she barrelled out of the room and into the one where Bilbo and Gandalf were still in discussion. Her sudden intrusion caused the two to jump up in alarm and she would have laughed at Gandalf bumping his head on the ceiling but she was far too energised. Waving the book in the wizard's face, ignoring Bilbo's scandalised expression, she began to babble. "You won't believe it! I can read this shit! Sure, it's a bit fancy and weird but I can read it!"

She was halted by Gandalf raising a hand. She almost continued regardless but she realised that she had to breathe. Taking a moment to regain her composure she held the book back out to the wizard, hoping he'd picked up on anything she'd said. She felt defeated as no recognition showed on the wizard's face. Keeping the book held out she read the words on the current page aloud, her finger following her current progress. She would have continued but Bilbo had decided he didn't want her grubby mitts on his book any long, snatching it from her hands.

Alex would have berated the hobbit, language barrier or not, if she hadn't seen the expression she was hoping for pass on Gandalf's face. She beamed to herself as the wizard began talking to Bilbo again; feeling like she'd achieved something. Since she'd woken up in that cave she'd only had her guitar to remind her of home, now she could grab hold of something else too. Maybe this could even help her get back to her quaint little cottage. The first thing she'd be doing if she got back home would be a long phone call to her parents.

Bilbo huffed and drew her attention. She looked between the two men and realised that they had yet to sit back down. She was confused by this and her confusion grew when Bilbo began to lead the wizard out of the room. Assuming the old man was leaving she quickly gathered her few belongings and bounced behind the wizard as he indeed made his way to the front hall. She mock saluted to the hobbit on her way past, happy to be leaving the grumpy halfling behind, before she collided with Gandalf's firm back.

The brunette blinked and looked to the wizard for an answer. He once again placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. She was beginning to see this as a sign that she was going to be told something she either wouldn't understand or wouldn't like. She began to fidget as the old man held her gaze, seemingly looking for something before nodding. "Stay."

Stay…? What, why was that the only English word he seemed to know? She knew it wasn't as the wizard had said quite a few on their way through the Shire. Sure, he hadn't made any sense but that wasn't the point. She smiled tentatively and made to follow when Gandalf began walking towards the door but was halted again with the same actions. "_I'm sorry, my dear, but you must _stay."

Alex felt her anxiety begin to show its face, her arms and legs beginning to shake lightly as she watched Gandalf open the door and step outside. Leaning her guitar against the wall and throwing her clothes to the floor she rushed to the door. She stopped at the doorway and grasped the well looked after wood tightly. The wizard was making his way down the stairs and back towards the clearing. He wasn't serious was he? Maybe he was just fetching his cart and he'd come back for her? She certainly hoped so, especially since he was out of sight now and her anxiety had just taken a leap to the front lines.

She couldn't recall how long she stood hunched over in the doorway but she was definitely getting a bit nippy. She was reluctant to leave the doorway but a cough behind her startled her enough to make her jump away from it and back into the warmth. Looking behind her she found Bilbo in all his grouchy glory, arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. Glancing one final time into the dark she hesitantly closed the door, spinning around to once again face Bilbo's frowning 'beauty'.

Standing there like a lemon, wringing her hands nervously, she waited for Bilbo to make a move. She had been adventurous earlier but now that she was under his scrutinising stare she couldn't muster her courage. She was never one to make herself at home anyways unless she was with her friends, or she was drunk. Liquid courage had helped boost her confidence in some tricky situations but she hadn't even had one whole mug at the party so no luck there.

Thankfully she was saved from making a pleb of herself when the hobbit before her sighed loudly and motioned for her to follow him. She followed behind him timidly as he led her further into the Hobbit Hole. Surely it couldn't get much worse than this?

* * *

><p>It got much worse. Alex was led to the kitchen she'd looked around before and forced into a chair while Bilbo fussed around. She was a little nervous as she didn't know what was happening but all was well and good before the hobbit left the room. He came back carrying the wheel of cheese she'd helped herself to earlier and dumped it in front of her, his foot taking up tap dance lessons again. She tried to look innocent but her stomach, the traitor that it was, gave her away. She'd never looked away as fast as she had in that moment.<p>

She felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment at being caught and kept her gaze diverted until she heard Bilbo shuffling around again. She watched him discreetly but she couldn't make out what he was doing. Oh well, at least he seemed to have forgotten about the cheese for now. She was surprised a moment later when the little hobbit placed a steaming tea cup in front of her, although he seemed reluctant to hand it over to her. She stared at the liquid in the cup curiously. Was that…Tea? Sweet Jesus, it was!

The brunette took a hurried sip and completely regretted it. The freshly brewed tea immediately scolded her mouth and she did everything in her power not to squeal. She tentatively swallowed the burning substance and gasped, the air cooling her mouth some. She was about to sigh in relief when she was surprised for a second time in minutes. Bilbo placed a small plate in front of her with a hunk of loaf and cheese. Staring at it she glanced up to find the halfling sat opposite her with a similar plate, seemingly ignoring her as he ate his own late dinner. Following his lead she also began to eat.

Although the meal was simple it did wonders for her mood and her stomach. The tea was even better. Sure, it was nothing like what she'd have at home but it was still soothing and warm. She was disappointed when she'd emptied her plate and mug, promptly looking to Bilbo for seconds. He looked like he was contemplating kicking her out of his home, she sorely hoped the accommodating nature of the hobbits still applied here, but he filled her plate and mug again with a huff. She'd happily ignore his petulant behaviour for now; she had a stomach to keep feeding!

"_I hope you don't make yourself too comfortable. As soon as _Gandalf _finishes his business you'll be on your way._" Alex blinked at the hobbit in confusion. She didn't understand a single word except for the wizard's name. Surely the crafty old man had told him that she couldn't understand a single thing or speak back? If so then why was he making the effort? She supposed she shouldn't frown upon it really, so far he'd made more effort than her. All she'd done was snoop around his house, raid his cheese and help herself to his book, which was sitting on the table between them.

"What?" She replied dumbly. The brunette sipped her tea as Bilbo began talking again, repeating his previous words. Feeling her confidence begin to return now that they were interacting she hid her cheeky smile, blanking her face like she'd lost all intelligence, and once again asked him "What?"

This continued for a good few minutes before she couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. The poor hobbit's face had slowly started to become red and it was tickling her too much. Holding her hand up to stop Bilbo as he was about to start talking at her again, probably something about her laughter being insulting, she took deep breaths to calm herself. The odd giggles still escaped but she managed. She wanted to talk to the little man properly so she could explain herself, but how?

Then it hit her like a steam train. She was a genius! Grabbing the book and ignoring Bilbo's frown she quickly, but carefully, skimmed through the pages for the words she wanted. If she had thought of this earlier she could have saved herself a load of trouble. Marking the pages with her fingers she spun the book around so Bilbo could see, pointing out her desired words on each page. She smiled as she watched the hobbit's face light up in understanding as she spelt out '_let's start over_'.

Thinking back to when she introduced herself to Gandalf the brunette placed a hand to her chest and said "Alex." She pointed her hand at Bilbo next to cue him in for his introduction. She didn't need to, as she knew more about the hobbit than he probably would have liked, but he didn't know that. She was pleased when the introduction was reciprocated and returned to the book after a brief handshake. Looking for the words she needed she once again turned the book and spelled out '_what happens now'_.

Bilbo sat in deep thought and she began to worry. If he didn't know what was happening then who did? Gandalf clearly knew but he appeared to have done a runner. It was clear he hadn't told Bilbo the whole story either; otherwise she would have an answer to this new mess already. Drinking her tea to soothe her nerves she nearly spat it back out when the hobbit opposite leapt up and out of the room, babbling in his strange language all the while. She continued sipping her tea as she waited to see what was happening.

He soon returned and dumped sheets of paper on the table, uncorking a vial of what looked like ink, and began scribbling away with a quill. Alex became impatient as she watched Bilbo over the rim of her mug scratching away at the paper. Was he writing an essay or something? Maybe he was drawing a magnificent piece of art that Leonardo Da Vinci would praise.

She was wrong on both counts when the paper was handed to her, a simple sentence marking the previously pristine sheet. '_Gandalf has left you in my care until he returns from his business._' She snorted to herself in amusement at the neatly crossed out words that had been replaced with 'left'. Clearly he wasn't altogether happy with her being left behind with him but- wait. Left behind?!

"What the fuck! What do you mean he left me?! When will he be back?" The brunette flushed in shame as Bilbo pushed the writing utensils towards her, looking uncomfortable. Muttering an apology she wrote out her question, minus the expletives of course. It took her even longer than Bilbo to write out her question and by the end it looked more like chicken scratch than her usual neat handwriting. Hey, writing with a quill is ridiculously hard when you're use to biros!

Bilbo's face scrunched up at her writing but she was thankful he didn't comment on it, even if she wouldn't have understood. She waited patiently for a reply and quickly read it when it was handed to her. '_I do not know why he left you here but he was adamant it was for the best. Neither do I know when he will return._' So that was that then. She'd been dumped on the hobbit like a naughty child on the naughty step. She wished she could have asked the wizard why but it was far too late now.

Alex gave Bilbo a weak smile and began to write back. There wasn't a lot she could do now but make the best of it. Heck, she was feeling up to a game of twenty questions. She knew a lot about the hobbit in terms of his deeds in life and a brief biography but she didn't actually know a lot about _him._ Plus it would be a great distraction from the violent storm brewing in her mind. Holding her empty mug out she passed the paper back which simply read: '_How about more tea?_'

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><p>The night continued in much the same way. They both sat at the kitchen table asking questions about each other until Bilbo became tired. At that point he'd led her to the smaller of the bedrooms he had and bid her a goodnight, or so she assumed. He was even kind enough to bring her the few belongings she owned, bless him, before leaving her to herself. She was about to snoop around the room, as she had only briefly looked inside the bedrooms in her earlier explorations, when she noticed a slight problem. The clothes she'd been given at the party started to feel a bit tight.<p>

Stripping herself down she changed into her ruined clothes. They were little more than rags now and they were still disgustingly dirty but they fit. She came to the conclusion that she'd had the same issue with the clothes as she did with shoes a size too small; they felt fine at first but then became tight and uncomfortable after a while. It was a shame really; she'd enjoyed wearing clean clothes even if it was just for a short while. Returning to her inspection of the room she smiled in nostalgia.

The bedroom was barely big enough for a child sized bed, a wardrobe and a set of drawers. It reminded her of a bedroom she had when she was younger, when she was still living with her parents. That one was barely big enough for the essentials too. She'd complained about it at the time but right now it made her feel a little bit more at home, even if she was far from it. She'd have to do something about that bed though; there was no way she was fitting in a kiddy bed no matter how tight she curled up.

The brunette was glad that the mattress was separate from the bedframe as she dragged it on the floor onto the tiny bit of floor space. Her legs and feet might get cold in the night but at least she wouldn't be sore and aching. Rearranging the bedding she crawled under it, feeling awkward with her boots still on for insulation, and thought back to her 'conversations' with Bilbo. He was still a bit of a closed book to her but she thought she'd seen a quick glimpse of what he was really like and she couldn't keep her previous image of him being constantly grumpy.

She'd finally learnt what the party was for though. Bilbo had given it a specific name but it was to celebrate the coming of autumn. She'd been flabbergasted when she'd learnt this and had quizzed the little hobbit until he'd changed the subject. She couldn't help it though back home everyone battened down the hatches and disappeared until spring came back around. It was just too cold and dreary to do anything else. She was guilty of doing it herself, blasting up the heating and snuggling into her bed with her dressing gown on and a new book.

Alex decided that she would ask Bilbo about getting some new clothes in the morning and if she could scour his books. She had an inkling he had more than the one and when he saw her back in her scratty clothes he was bound to throw a hissy fit. That was another thing she'd learnt about the hobbit in the short time she'd been with him. He liked everything to be immaculate. She'd been written a short essay about how 'barbaric' her writing was and her less than stellar appearance. He'd offered her a bath after that one but she declined, she preferred to clean herself in the morning rather than at night. That was something she'd also have to pester him about when she woke up.

She was about to make herself comfortable and try to get some sleep when another issue presented itself suddenly. She had to pee. Bad. She knew she shouldn't have had so many cups of tea but she couldn't help herself! Untangling herself from the sheets she tiptoed to the door and peered out, seeing nothing but the gloom of the now dark home. She really didn't want to disturb Bilbo, especially since she had nothing to communicate with, and her earlier exploring hadn't revealed a bathroom so she was pretty stuck. Looking to her right she squinted, making out the faint outlines of two doors. Huh, she must have missed them earlier.

Tiptoeing down the hallway she opened the first door. Nope, not a toilet. She couldn't even see what was inside. Trying the second door the brunette did her happy dance. She was forced to stop a moment later as her bladder protested but she was able to solve her problem now. She didn't question the light coming through the window or how primitive the loo looked; she just sat down hastily and did her business. She sighed in relief as her bladder relaxed and leant back. Bilbo could do with investing in a nice, spongy toilet seat but she wasn't going to knock it. It was better than relieving herself outside!

Only now a new dilemma had replaced her solved one. She couldn't see any toilet paper anywhere. Oh god, this couldn't be happening to her, she'd only just gotten somewhat clean today! Rummaging around her desperately she turned up empty handed, screaming mentally. Clearly Bilbo wasn't as immaculate as she thought. Steeling herself she forced her trousers back up and fastened them. She hoped she'd left a mess to be cleaned as she tiptoed back to her room, it would be adequate payback for the lack of toilet roll.

Crawling back into bed the brunette cocooned herself in the sheets. She needed to get some of these for her cottage if she ever got back to it, the cold couldn't reach her where they covered her. She thought she was finally about to drift to sleep when the full impact of everything that had happened in the past couple of days hit her. Her night long Lord of the Rings fest had turned into a night out in the woods, she'd met supposedly fictional characters, been left on her own just when she was becoming comfortable with one of the said characters, and she didn't even know if she could get back home.

Alex drew the covers over her head as the tears broke through the floodgates. She pressed her face into the pillow as the first of the sobs escaped her, taking shaky breaths to try muffle them further as they continued to run free. She just wanted to go home; she didn't want to be in some fantasy land. She wanted to have a laugh with Emily, pester the workers at the cat shelter she sometimes passed on her way home from busking, and have a hot shower with a warm takeaway pizza waiting for her. She wanted it all back but most of all she wanted her parents.

Her mum who was always there to lend an ear when she had a problem or just wanted to talk, who always brought her favourite meals when she wasn't feeling too great despite living over an hour away, who always had an answer for everything. She wouldn't call herself a mummy's girl, oh no, but there was more she could help with emotionally than her dad.

Oh god, her dad. The reason she wouldn't call herself a mummy's girl was because she was a daddy's girl through and through. When growing up she always leaned towards her dad than her mum. He was gruff and took no nonsense but he was the one to teach her to stand up for herself which was invaluable when she moved out and became independent. He always showed he cared in his own way too, a pat on the shoulder, a trip to the pub, a rare 'well done' now and then.

She'd managed without them for the past couple of years because she knew they weren't far but now that they were she didn't know what to do. She couldn't exactly ask Bilbo for advice; she didn't even know him properly! She wouldn't even talk to Gandalf about what was on her mind. That would be absurd.

Feeling her sobs quieten and her eyes feel heavy the brunette twisted her head, laying her cheek on the pillow instead of pushing her face into it. Maybe some rest would do her some good and reveal an answer to this mess.

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><p>Well, there's chapter 3 for you! Hope you all enjoyed, leave a review if you did, it would certainly make my day! Constructive criticism is welcome but flames will still be used to light my smokes.<p> 


	4. Assaulting Hobbits

Howdy-ho, everyone! So sorry for the long delay between chapters but the past month has been rather hectic for me. First I had my birthday to prepare for and more recently I've been really ill. Still am but I want to put this up for you guys because you are all amazing! All the reviews and notifications saying that this story had been favourited and/or followed really lifted my spirits! To MidnightTales357, I fully intend to give your story a read and to drop you a review but as was said above, I've been rather busy. I'll get around to it as soon as I have a minute to spare.

Without much more delay, here is chapter 4 for you all!

Important: Just as a little reminder, just like chapter 2 and 3 the speech might seem strange here. It will all clear up as more chapters come along so don't worry, it won't be weird for too much longer! In some sentences there might be instances where both normal and italic text is used, the normal text is simply words that Alex understands.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from J.R.R Tolkien's works but I do own all original characters that you may see.

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><p>"<em>Are you awake? Breakfast is ready. Hello?"<em> Alex groaned at the loud knocking coming from her bedroom door. Pulling her pillow over her head she mumbled unintelligently and started to drift back to sleep. Knocking at the door dashed her hopes of getting back to sleep and she sat up, eyes closed as the light coming through the window was too bright. Running her fingers through her side fringe she yawned and stretched.

"It's not time to get up yet." She replied. Flopping back down onto the bed she rubbed at her face. Her head felt really baggy and she was too tired to remember why. Dismissing it she once again tried to go back to sleep, growling in annoyance when the knocks once again stopped her. Bolting upright she cracked her eyes open and glared at the door. "For crying out loud, it's too early!"

"_Look, breakfast is going to get cold._" Wait, that wasn't Emily's voice, nor did she talk in tongues. Looking around her the brunette found her surroundings unfamiliar. Oh god, she didn't get absolutely slaughtered last night and go home with someone did she? It would explain the baggy head but she was too sluggish to remember anything from the previous day. Had she been drugged?!

Leaping up, struggling with the covers for a moment, she rushed to the side of the door and grabbed her guitar which was leaning there. Wielding the instrument like a baseball bat she waited quietly but anxiously. What her guitar was doing there she had no idea but she was grateful for it so she could defend herself, even if it did pain her to possibly use it that way. Moments passed in silence until the door handle moved and the door opened a crack.

Just a moment more… There! She swung her guitar at the intruder and cheered as it made contact, a loud, low thud filling the silence. Cautiously taking a look at the trespasser she paused in confusion. There was a little man unconscious on the floor. Little man… Oh shit, Bilbo! The memories of the past couple of days came back to her and she began to panic. She'd just assaulted her host! Fuck, what was she supposed to do now? Pacing in front of the hobbit's unconscious form she began to wrack her brain.

She could always- no, that would never do. What about- nope. She couldn't think of anything to help her! Just then a thought flitted through her head, a tactic she used a lot as a child and still sometimes when she was too frightened to face the consequences of her actions. That would do. Running to the kitchen, jumping over Bilbo who was blocking the entrance way to the bedroom, she searched for the paper they'd used last night to communicate with. She found it at the edge of the kitchen table beside the cooling plates of food and quickly began to scribble out a quick note.

_I'm sorry for hitting you with my guitar!  
>I didn't mean to, honest! Please don't be mad.<em>

It was a poor excuse for an apology but the brunette couldn't think of anything else to say. It wasn't every day she knocked people unconscious! Rushing back to Bilbo she placed the note on his chest and grabbed her guitar. She was about to make a quick exit from the home but remembered the food on the kitchen table, making a quick detour to grab some of the food odd the plate before making her exit.

As she stepped out into the morning light she was temporarily blinded. Shielding her eyes as she made her way down the steps she wondered what to do now. She couldn't go back to Bag End she decided, taking the same path she'd been led down the night before. Definitely not, she'd just essentially committed a hit and run. Looking around at the lush countryside she decided a walk around wouldn't be so bad; the sights just down the road from Bag End definitely weren't to be sniffed at.

Slowly munching on her scarce breakfast Alex nearly moaned in pleasure. Bilbo had made bacon. Bacon! The food of the gods! It was her favourite breakfast food but she never stocked it in her fridge as she was too lazy to cook it. It was always Emily that cooked it for her and she always made it spot on: crispy fat but not burnt anywhere. Before she knew it she had eaten the few rashers she'd fled with and was disappointed. Bacon always ran out too fast, it just wasn't fair.

Stomach placated she continued to walk down the well-trodden path. She passed a couple of Hobbit Holes, only one of them revealing its occupants as a stodgy hobbit tended his garden, two children running circles around him. He sent her a look as she passed by that she couldn't decipher, unnerving her a little. The children weren't as bad as they recognised her from the night before and started waving at her while shouting lost words. She tentatively waved back as she continued her trip to nowhere.

The looks continued to be sent her way as she passed more Hobbit Holes. She grew tired of the strange looks and veered off the dirt path into a copse of trees. Sitting herself down on a set of large roots she settled her guitar on her lap. She thought it best to wait a bit longer until she tried to check up on Bilbo, he was bound to be furious when he woke up. She wouldn't blame him but she still didn't want to face his wrath, she could imagine him being quite scary despite being so short.

Running her playlist through her head the brunette settled back against the tree trunk, absentmindedly plucking at the guitar strings. She was already as calm as she was going to be, given the circumstances, so she didn't need to play something overly calm. She knew she was neglecting her favourite song but right now it would be like hammering the final nail in the coffin. She definitely wasn't dreaming but she didn't want to acknowledge her predicament in its entirety.

She decided to lazily pluck at the strings instead of playing a full song as she couldn't pick one. Besides, it almost seemed like a sin to disturb the tranquillity of the Shire. It truly was a beautiful place. She was never one for living in cities but she couldn't live too far due to her occupation. She would have happily moved to a remote village instead of her cottage but she'd never heard of a busker being able to survive while playing in such a small settlement. It was a shame really.

An hour must have passed while she was sat there, taking in the sights. She was about to give in to her drowsiness and take a nap when she heard leaved crackling behind her and muffled giggles. Well, so much for escaping the munchkins last night, they seemed to have stalked her to her hiding place. It somehow seemed familiar to when she first met Gandalf, him in plain sight and she hiding in the woods. Except it was reversed. Huffing loudly she turned on the large root to spot the sneaking children.

Large brown eyes stared at her in surprise. A group of three children stood frozen, the same three that she'd played to before being dumped at Bag End. She wasn't really all that surprised to see the little girl again; she seemed to be a magnet for her somehow. Smiling she waved at them, and shocking herself, gestured them over. She usually avoided children like the plague but the little girl who seemed to be a natural leader had wormed her way in somehow.

"What can I do for you little termites?" Alex laughed at the expressions on the kids' faces. The language barrier was a limitation with Bilbo and other adults but it was fun with the kids. They just pulled the funniest faces! Oh, she could definitely have some fun with this.

Before she could start tormenting the little ones the apparent leader tugged on her hand, much the same way as she had the night before, and started to talking to her in her strange language. Holding a hand up to stop her she tried to mime what she hoped would be 'hide and seek'. If she could get on seeking duty she could relax in peace while the kiddies thought they were winning. Unfortunately she didn't get her way.

After much jabbering from the three girls the smallest covered her face with her hands and began counting. She was left with the counting girl in a daze before she leapt up, guitar in hand, and began running. She didn't run far before she found a suitable hiding place. She didn't know the rules that hobbits played by but she didn't think hiding in a tree would be cheating, besides it was a nice sturdy tree and she hadn't climbed one since she was a child.

Climbing to the first branch the brunette brought her guitar up after her. She only stopped when she was comfortably hidden by the eaves, cursing bringing her murder instrument with her. As she leaned back against the trunk, the branch wide enough for her to stretch out nicely, she thanked her lucky stars she'd climbed when she did as the little girl doing the seeking ran beneath her. Snickering to herself as she remained undiscovered she watched the young Hobbit disappear.

Suddenly she began to feel sick as she stared down at the distance she'd put between herself and the ground. Now she remembered why she hadn't climbed a tree since she was a kid, she suffered from vertigo and an abhorrently huge fear of heights. She couldn't even stand on a coffee table without panicking. Closing her eyes to calm her racing heart she took deep breaths to fight off the dizziness. Why, oh why, was she so stupid to forget about her fear of heights?

She felt her drowsiness return as she sat there with her eyes closed. She would happily take a nap if she was on solid ground but no, she was stuck in a bloody tree! She didn't want to fall asleep just to roll out of the tree and break her back. Forget her back; she could die as far as her mind was concerned! Wouldn't that be ironic? Magically appear in a fictional land just to die in a game of hide and seek. How anticlimactic.

As much as she tried to fight the heaviness of her eyes she eventually threw in the towel. All her thoughts and her late night pity fest had drained her and the early morning wake up didn't help. She'd stopped letting herself run on adrenaline after she moved into her cottage, she just couldn't do it anymore. With the image of her body becoming bloody mush against the floor she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

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><p>Alex jolted awake, grabbing her guitar before it could slip off her lap and onto the floor below her. Looking through the eaves of the tree she was still trapped in she noticed she'd slept for longer than she would have liked. The dimming light made the copse of trees seem even darker. She supposed she should at least be grateful she hadn't splattered herself on the floor like she'd dreamt. It was a miracle really since she was a fidgety sleeper.<p>

Keeping her gaze off the distant ground she looked for a way down. She'd gotten up easily enough so she should be able to get back down the same way right? Wrong. She couldn't bring herself to look at the branches below her in fear, whimpering quietly every time she tried. Was she to remain trapped in this tree until the end of her days? She surely hoped not, she wasn't ready to become a human squirrel.

While imagining her new diet of nuts and berries her ears picked up the sound of shouting. Listening carefully she could hear her name as the person shouting got closer. Someone was looking for her? But she only knew one person… Bilbo! She hadn't killed him! Becoming excited she cocked her leg over the branch and began feeling for the next foothold down. "I'm coming!"

Unfortunately it was a lot harder getting down with her guitar than up. The brunette found herself stuck again a few branches down from her perch when she slipped and looked down. In order to save herself from falling she'd let go of her guitar to hug the tree trunk, thankfully the fall hadn't destroyed the instrument and it seemed intact. Feeling her dizziness return she clenched her eyes shut while clinging to the tree for dear life. "Bilbo!"

Frantic chittering caused her to open her eyes and look down. Her world spun for a moment but she could spot Bilbo pacing below her. What a sight she must be, clinging for life halfway up a tree. It's not like she chose to be like this, well okay, maybe she did in a sense. Breathing deeply she forced herself to slowly continue her climb down. She mentally cheered herself on when she ground became closer and closer but Bilbo had to spoil it. She was concentrating so hard that when the Hobbit shouted unintelligently at her she lost her grip in surprise and fell the remaining distance.

Groaning at the hard impact as her back hit the floor Alex cursed under her breath. Damn, that hurt like a bitch. She'd be grateful if she only had a bruise later rather than some serious damage. Opening her eyes through the throbbing pain she was met with the sight of a pissed off Bilbo stood over her, arms crossed and foot tapping wildly. Fuck, her note hadn't worked in placating him, now she was screwed.

"_Just what do you think you're doing? _Gandalf _left you in my care and you're running around climbing trees!_" Okay, whatever Bilbo said didn't sound good. She wanted desperately to be able to understand him so she could know if he was just pissed over the accidental assault or if he was bollocking her. If it was the second then she was already feeling thoroughly chastised.

"I'm sorry." The brunette meekly mumbled. She could hardly look at the hobbit now; she truly was feeling like a naughty child who'd done something severe and was caught in the act. It didn't help that she'd seen the bruise on his face, partially hidden but still visible. She'd never hit anyone before; never mind someone who'd shown her a kindness. It just went against her morals.

She kept her gaze on the trees above her as Bilbo continued tapping his foot. She wanted to go back to Bag End with its paper and writing utensils so she could apologise properly, not be laid on the floor feeling horrible. Thankfully her wish was granted when the little, but angry, hobbit began marching away. Ignoring the pain in her back she scrambled up and grabbed her indestructible instrument. She followed behind him quietly as he led the way. She was ashamed to admit that she probably wouldn't have been able to find her way back.

Alex didn't even realise how far she'd walked earlier that day, her legs aching as she walked at a faster pace. She had to admit though that the beauty of the Shire was doubled in the setting sun. Even the sunset at her cottage couldn't beat this and back home that was a hard feat to conquer. It was strange how accepting she was of the place now, especially since she'd freaked out at just glimpsing it a couple of days ago.

As they reached Bag End Bilbo opened the door and stood beside it. She understood the look he was giving her and hurried inside. Her dad had given her a lot of those stern looks when she'd disappeared someplace without a word, it usually spelled trouble for her. As Bilbo closed the door behind him her stomach chose that inappropriate moment to growl. This was becoming a bad habit.

She timidly followed Bilbo to the kitchen and sat down in the same chair she'd occupied the night before, leaning her guitar against the side of her chair. Thankfully the paper and quill were still on the table and she began writing. The note would need some major arse kissing if she was going to be in the hobbit's good graces again. She finished just in time for him to place another meal of bread and cheese before her. Handing the note over she waited until he was writing a reply out before she fulfilled her stomachs demands.

She was halfway through her meal; she was ravenous, when she received a reply. Chewing as she read it she sighed in relief. Yes, he was angry, but from what she gathered Bilbo had also been worried because he'd called her his 'charge' until Gandalf returned for her. At least he wasn't going to be kicking her out because of her actions, which was a relief. She'd be screwed if she had to fend for herself right now. She wondered just how long it would take for the wizard to return.

Humming happily at her full stomach she leaned back. The brunette was about to relax when she was pushed from her chair and out of the room. She spluttered indignantly as she was herded down the short corridor and into another room she'd failed to explore. She was about to turn to question the Hobbit when steam met her blue eyes. In the centre of the quaint but lavish room was a tub happily steaming away to itself. A bath! Sniffing herself cautiously her nose wrinkled in offense. The bath must have been for Bilbo but judging by her body odour he must have thought it more important she take one.

She wasn't going to argue though as she ripped her clothes off. Holding them up she frowned. They were even dirtier than before; she was going to have to ask Bilbo about some new digs after her bath. Letting them drop to the floor she made her way to the tub. Thankfully it was larger than the one in the tent so as she lowered herself into the heavenly water she could stretch a little. She enjoyed the heat of the water for a long as she could before she washed away the lingering dirt. She could get used to this.

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><p>Alex sat in the sitting room opposite Bilbo with a book in her lap. After her bath the little hobbit had brought her some new clothes and took her old ones with a look of disgust. She'd fought him on keeping the clothes and won, Bilbo demanding they at least be washed. She was shocked when he also replaced the rags with clothes that fit her. They were baggy but she was informed that Gandalf had left them for her. She could have done with knowing they were there sooner instead of walking around Hobbiton like a vagrant.<p>

As revenge she'd raided his bookshelf but she'd failed to get a rise out of him so here she sat, in front of the roaring fire watching Bilbo smoke his pipe. She so desperately wanted to share but she didn't think he would like the thought of possibly swapping germs with her like Gandalf had. She cursed the wizard under her breath for not leaving her a pipe with the baggy shirt and trousers. Her cravings were going wild!

Opening the book in the hopes of distracting herself the brunette read the first page. She groaned and threw her head back against the high back of the chair. Of course, she just had to pick up a history book, one of her least favourite to read. She preferred to read about fantasy lands and character, although she supposed the one in her hands could count as one since she was currently in a fictional land. Looking over at Bilbo she found him completely engrossed in his own book so there would be no help from him on finding a new title.

Settling back into her seat properly she submitted herself to the tortures of the history book. She couldn't really be arsed to get up and find a new book anyways. Maybe if she focused she could wow Bilbo with what she'd learnt, that was sure to earn her some brownie points wasn't it? Besides, she wasn't all knowledgeable like she made out to her friends so filling in the blanks couldn't hurt. It was just fortunate that she didn't have a short attention span when it came to books.

Surprisingly she found herself sat there immersed in the book. Even though it was history its' stories had her enraptured and she couldn't tear herself away. She wished she could talk to Bilbo about it, he was sure to know more than the intricate text was revealing. She wished the bloody language barrier didn't exist. It was so easy at home, she could just pick up a language programme or a dictionary and communicate but here… Wait, dictionary. That's it!

"Bilbo! I've just had the greatest idea! We could-" Seeing Bilbo's somewhat shocked and confused face Alex face palmed. Of course she'd start blathering on when the language barrier was still there, bloody idiot that she was. Standing and placing the book on the chair she held her hands up in a waiting gesture. "Just wait there, I'll be right back."

Dashing to the kitchen for the 'speaking paper' she returned a moment later and began scribbling like mad. She'd made a horrendous mess of the space that was left on it but she hoped Bilbo understood what she was saying, she wasn't even thinking her words through before writing them. It was a horrible habit but she just couldn't ditch it. Reading the note over she smiled as it read: _Just had a brilliant idea. If we make a dictionary I can learn your language and then we're all happy bunnies.' _At least that's what she had tried to write. Some of the ink on the quill had blotted and made the letters hard to read but she'd let Bilbo be the judge of that.

Shoving the paper into Bilbo's hands she waited impatiently as he read it. She couldn't tell if the grimace on his face was due to her penmanship or her proposition but she hoped it was the former. If he didn't help her get a grasp on the language then she was going to struggle to get by. She couldn't mime everything after all, that would be ridiculous and impossible. What if she wanted to go for a crap? She couldn't mime that in public that would be too embarrassing.

She was almost ready to do her little impatient dance when Bilbo handed the sheet back with a firm nod. She squealed loudly and instead did her happy dance, which consisted of her spinning in a circle while tapping her feet madly. Interrupting her dance the brunette ran from the room and into the small study, scooping up as much paper as she could before returning. She dumped all the paper on the floor and began sorting it when Bilbo jumped up and began waving his arms.

Waiting curiously as Bilbo quickly wrote out his words she rubbed at the scabs on her fingertips. She'd almost forgotten about them in the excitement of the day, which was surprising considering she'd torn some of them off playing her guitar earlier. Admiring the hobbits' penmanship as he handed the note over she quickly read it. _Not now. We will start in the morning._ It read. Aw man, she was eager to start now, not in the morning. It was rather late though so maybe there was some logic to waiting.

Nodding reluctantly Alex sided the mass of paper and returned to her seat, opening her book. Bilbo had already beaten her to it and was immersed once again in his own story. Maybe when he went to bed she could see if his book was better than hers, even if the tome in her hands had redeemed itself. Returning to her place in the book she continued to read in peace, learning more about the land she was trapped in that she couldn't search on the internet back home.

Oh man, she missed the internet. She could happily waste her day away watching cat videos and never complain about it again. Those adorable, fluffy cats and their fluffy antics. She wondered if they even had cats in Middle Earth, she certainly couldn't remember seeing any in the films. She hoped they did exist, if she couldn't pester a little feline soon she was bound to go nuts. She just needed to stroke their little bean toes!

What felt like hours slipped by again as she continued reading, only pausing to bid Bilbo goodnight when he retired. It was just in time too as she'd finished her book and the Hobbit had conveniently left his on his chair. She'd scooped it up as soon as he left the room when she noticed something. He left his pipe on the small, round table that was next to his chair. Double checking to make sure she was alone she tentatively picked up the pipe, scuttling to the window and cracking it open. She didn't know where Bilbo kept his tobacco but thankfully he'd only smoked half the pipe before leaving.

The brunette wiped the mouthpiece thoroughly before bringing it to her mouth and striking one of the matches she'd also swiped. Taking a deep inhale of the long pipe she felt herself go floppy. Whatever Bilbo smoked was heaven. It wasn't as harsh as the leaf Gandalf smoked and it had a subtle taste that just ticked all the right boxes. She exhaled the remaining smoke out the window and positioned the new book in her spare hand so she could read while puffing away.

She was right; Bilbo did have a better book to read. Judging from the beginning couple of pages she guessed it was about a forbidden romance. About who, she didn't know yet but it involved an elf, as that was who the author had written about so far. Who would have known Bilbo would have been one for a romance, she thought he'd be obsessive about homecare or gardening. The cheeky little minx.

Closing the book so she could finish smoking the pipe she tipped the lingering ash out of the window. Locking it back up tight she placed the pipe back onto the table, wiping the mouthpiece again, and got comfy in her chair. Opening the book back up she resumed reading. She would have to cram as much of the story in her head as she could as the fire was beginning to die. Bilbo had already lit it before she got out of her bath and with the feeling of clean skin it was glorious.

Alex stayed true to her word and read as much as she could before the light from the hearth was extinguished. She'd blushed once or twice as the story progressed, the details becoming more in depth as the characters' romance grew. She didn't think Bilbo was one for romance novels before but this had just become smut. She'd blushed as she'd read the saucy parts, her embarrassment rising. It was a shame too as she was enraptured by the story of the elf and the human. She wouldn't have thought there'd be so much stigma over such a union.

Closing the book she stretched out. Now that she could hardly see she decided it was time for bed. It would do her no good to get on Bilbo's bad side by breaking anything valuable because she was wandering around his home in the pitch black. Placing the novel on top of the abandoned history book she left the lounge and made her way to the spare bedroom she'd made her own. She was pleased to see that the mattress had been left on the floor, she really couldn't be arsed remaking her bed.

Shedding her baggy clothes and cocooning herself in the blankets, cursing her height and chilled toes, the brunette recapped the day's events. First she'd assaulted her host only to flee, then she'd instigated a game of hide and seek with the kids only to get herself stuck up a tree! She must have won that game considering the kids weren't around anymore when she'd woken up. Thank the heavens too; she would have been mortified if anyone but Bilbo knew that she'd gotten herself stuck.

She tried to sleep after her musings but it eluded her. No matter how many times she rolled over or adjusted her cocoon she just couldn't drift off. Typical, the one night she had a clear mind and she couldn't sleep. She'd had an even easier time in the forest. She would have woken Bilbo to ask if he had anything to help but she couldn't bring herself to disturb him. Despite her care being forced on him he'd fed her, run her a bath and even searched for her earlier that day. Their first impressions of each other might not have been the best but she was quickly becoming fond of the hobbit.

Alex didn't have many friends back home and she hoped she could soon add Bilbo to the list. Her friends from home were just a handful of people she could rely on for a variety of matters but Emily was the only one she could truly confide in. They used to see each other every week but when things started getting serious between Emily and her boyfriend she saw even less of her. The movie night that was planned before she woke up in that horrible cave was the first time she would have seen her in months, now she might not have the chance ever again.

Refusing to cry for a second night in a row she made herself comfy and began to sing any parody songs she could remember. She was soon laughing hysterically at her purposefully bad singing, clutching her sides under her cocoon. It was usually funnier with someone else but it had been a while since she'd acted so silly and it was the perfect mood lifter. Maybe if she did become friends with Bilbo he could join in, though she doubted he would.

She had the feeling she would need more moments like this in the future. Silly little moments to unwind when she wasn't feeling very happy. Normally playing her guitar would do the trick but she'd left it in the kitchen and she wasn't willing to retrieve it. It was okay where it was for the night. It wasn't like Bilbo was going to toss it out in the middle of the night; she didn't think he had it in him.

Besides, he was going to help her make a dictionary in the morning. Hopefully she could pick up the basics of the language quickly, she never was one for studying but this was a necessity. One she was going to excel at. Nuzzling into the soft pillow a small smile emerged on the brunette's face.

Things were starting to look up.

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><p>And there you have it! Sorry for how long it took but I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review, it would keep my smile powered up during these sucky, cold infested days. Just remember, constructive criticism is welcome but flames will still be used to light my smokes.<p> 


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